Hot & Humid Delhi sizzles at 40.2°C! Monsoon slips to July; IMD predicts late-night rain

Delhi endured a hot and humid Saturday as the maximum temperature rose to 40.2 degrees Celsius, 1.6 notches above normal, even as the city looked ahead to a delayed arrival of the southwest monsoon. Weather experts said Delhi may have to wait until the first week of July for the monsoon this year, instead of its usual onset date of around June 27.

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The India Meteorological Department said very light rain accompanied by thunderstorms was likely in isolated parts of the city during the night. For Sunday, it has forecast a generally cloudy sky with thunderstorms and rain, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to settle around 39 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius, respectively.

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Station-wise data showed that Palam recorded a maximum temperature of 39.9 degrees Celsius on Saturday, 0.9 notches above normal, while Lodhi Road registered 40.1 degrees Celsius, 2.1 notches above normal. The Ridge weather station recorded 41.1 degrees Celsius, 0.2 notches above normal, and Ayanagar logged 40.4 degrees Celsius, 0.8 notches below normal. According to the IMD, the minimum temperature at the Safdarjung observatory, the city’s base station, settled at 28.7 degrees Celsius, 0.7 notches above normal. The minimum temperature was recorded at 26.5 degrees Celsius in Palam, 1.5 notches below normal; 27 degrees Celsius in Lodhi Road, one notch below normal; 26 degrees Celsius at the Ridge, 2.5 notches below normal; and 27.7 degrees Celsius in Ayanagar, 0.2 notches below normal.

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Weather experts attributed the delay in the monsoon’s advance towards northwest India to the absence of favourable weather systems that normally help the rain-bearing winds move forward. Delhi’s air quality remained in the "moderate" category, with the Air Quality Index recorded at 132 at 4 pm, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board. According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".