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Delhi's record-shattering rainfall activity will continue this week, says IMD

Heavy rain accompanied with hail storm in Gurgaon (Vinay Gupta/BCCL) — File photo
(Vinay Gupta/BCCL)

Thursday, August 29: Delhi experienced an unusually high amount of rainfall this August, recording the most precipitation for the month in the past decade. The weather is expected to stay wet, with more rainy days anticipated as the month ends.

On Thursday morning, Delhi-NCR was hit by intense rainfall, leading to widespread waterlogging and severe traffic disruptions across the region. The heavy downpour submerged roads, creating significant challenges for commuters, with some underpasses nearly completely flooded. Neighboring areas like Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram were also severely affected, adding to the chaos.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that this rainfall and thunderstorm activity will persist throughout the week due to a cyclonic circulation over southeast Uttar Pradesh and an east-west trough extending to the east-central Bay of Bengal.

Meanwhile, the city's Safdarjung observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 23°C on Thursday, which is three degrees below normal, while the maximum temperature on Wednesday was 34°C. Despite the ongoing rains, the weather office forecasts a slight rise in temperature starting today.

This August has seen unprecedented rainfall in Delhi, with the city recording the highest number of rainy days in the past 14 years. With 24 rainy days, this month has surpassed the previous records of 22 days in 2012 and 20 days in 2011. A "rainy day" is defined as when the city receives more than 2.4 mm of rainfall. Additionally, the total rainfall recorded so far in August has reached 291.6 mm, making it one of the wettest months on record, surpassing the previous high of 290.1 mm in August 2014.

Significant rainfall on August 25 provided relief from the prevailing humidity. As the rain continued in the following days, various parts of Delhi, including areas where Shri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations were underway, were affected. Between August 26 and 27, Safdarjung recorded 16.4 mm of rainfall, Lodhi Road 15.8 mm, Ayanagar 64 mm, and Palam 6.9 mm. The rainfall continued into early Wednesday, impacting parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region.

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