The IMD’s Delhi forecast also indicates the possibility of thunderstorms, while its national warning bulletin has flagged thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, at isolated places over Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh.
The national capital recorded a maximum temperature of 36.8 degrees Celsius on September 16, three degrees above normal, while the minimum was 26.8 degrees Celsius, 1.7 degrees above normal, according to IMD data. The city received no rainfall in the 24 hours ending 8:30 am on September 17.
Monsoon withdrawal
The latest weather developments come as the southwest monsoon approaches its withdrawal phase. The IMD has indicated that the monsoon could begin withdrawing from northwest India around September 19.
However, the onset of withdrawal is not expected to immediately end rainfall over northern India. The IMD has forecast fairly widespread rainfall over Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab until September 18, with rainfall also expected over parts of Rajasthan.
All-India weather forecast
The IMD’s September 17 bulletin shows a weather pattern across several parts of the country. Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places over Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Bihar, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, parts of West Bengal and Sikkim, and Tamil Nadu.
Thunderstorms with lightning are also likely at isolated places across a wider belt, including parts of northeast India, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Uttarakhand and West Rajasthan.
Strong surface winds are likely at isolated places over Andhra Pradesh and interior Karnataka. The IMD has also warned of squally conditions over parts of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, with winds reaching 55-65 kmph in some areas.
