Delhi weather: IMD issues red alert for rain as monsoon expected to reach capital by July 3 or 4

The monsoon is closing in on Delhi, and the rest of India is already feeling its full force. The national capital received rainfall on Thursday as the IMD issued a red alert, while heavy rains across the country killed four people in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, triggered landslides, flooded roads, and brought normal life to a halt across several regions.

When will monsoon reach Delhi?

According to Mahesh Palawat, Vice President at Skymet Weather, the southwest monsoon is expected to arrive over Delhi and surrounding areas around July 3 or 4. The IMD has noted that atmospheric conditions are now becoming favourable for the monsoon's advance into Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi within the next 24 hours.

When it does arrive, it will mark the latest monsoon onset over the capital in five years. For context, the monsoon reached Delhi on June 25 in 2020. The most recent comparable delay was in 2021, when it arrived as late as July 13, the same day it covered the entire country.

Rain in Delhi through July 7

Until the monsoon officially establishes itself, Delhi can expect unsettled weather. The IMD has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by rain every day between July 3 and July 7. Minimum temperatures during this period are likely to range between 23°C and 24°C, with maximums expected between 33°C and 35°C. For Thursday, July 2, the forecast calls for generally cloudy skies with moderate rain, a maximum of 33°C and a minimum around 24°C.

Meanwhile, monsoon brought some unexpected tragedies and disturbances in other parts of India. In Navi Mumbai, two girls suffered electric shocks after coming into contact with an exposed live wire on a waterlogged road near the LP Bridge in Nerul. Arunachal Pradesh continued to deal with the aftermath of flash floods, parts of Maharashtra were battered by heavy rain, and the IMD flagged the likelihood of intense rainfall over south Bengal in the days ahead.