Delhi Weather: Monsoon Delay Keeps Delhi-NCR Sweltering; When Will It Rain?

Delhi is set for another hot and humid day on Monday i.e June 29 with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a maximum temperature of 40-42 degrees Celsius and only isolated light rain or thundershowers later in the day. The weather forecast comes after the national capital recorded one of its warmest early mornings in two years on Sunday (June 28) while high humidity pushed the city's 'real feel' temperature above 50 degrees Celsius.

The IMD has predicted a partly cloudy sky with the possibility of thunder, lightning and very light rain during the afternoon or evening. However, any showers are expected to be brief and may not provide much relief from the prevailing heat and humidity.

Hot and humid weather to persist

According to the IMD, Delhi's minimum temperature on Monday is expected to remain between 29 and 31 degrees Celsius while the maximum may reach 40-42 degrees Celsius.

Strong surface winds of 30-40 kmph are likely during thunderstorm activity with gusts touching 50 kmph in isolated areas.

Despite the cloud cover and the chance of light rain, humidity levels are expected to remain high. As a result, outdoor conditions are likely to stay uncomfortable through the day.

Sunday's 'real feel' temperature crossed 50°C

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 31.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday, which was 3.2 degrees above normal. The maximum touched 41.8 degrees Celsius, keeping conditions harsh throughout the day.

The more striking figure was the city's 'real feel' temperature, also known as the heat index.

At 5.30 pm, Delhi's 'real feel' temperature was around 50.7 degrees Celsius. The reading reflected how hot the weather actually felt because of high humidity rather than the air temperature alone.

The heat index combines air temperature and relative humidity to estimate how the human body experiences the weather. When humidity is high, sweat evaporates more slowly, making it harder for the body to cool itself. This increases the risk of heat stress, exhaustion and dehydration, especially for people spending long hours outdoors.

Why the weather feels more uncomfortable

The delayed arrival of the monsoon has left Delhi dealing with both intense heat and high moisture levels.

Warm nights have added to the discomfort. When minimum temperatures stay above normal, buildings, roads and concrete surfaces do not cool sufficiently after sunset. That leaves residents with little relief even during the night and early morning.

This is why mornings and evenings have also remained uncomfortable across Delhi-NCR despite the absence of peak afternoon temperatures.

What happened over the last 24 hours

Several parts of Delhi experienced heatwave-like conditions during the previous 24 hours.

Maximum temperatures remained largely unchanged while minimum temperatures rose by 1-2 degrees Celsius in several areas. Daytime temperatures hovered around the low 40s across much of the city.

Westerly winds generally blew at speeds of 10-15 kmph. At Palam, wind gusts reportedly touched 70 kmph around 5.24 pm as thunderstorm activity developed.

Such gusty winds are common during unstable weather but do not always bring widespread rain. Many parts of the city can remain dry even as thunderclouds develop over nearby areas.

Relief likely from July 2

The IMD has said maximum temperatures may rise by another 1-2 degrees Celsius over the next 24 hours before beginning a gradual decline.

After that, both maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to fall by 5-6 degrees Celsius over the following four days.

The change is likely to be driven by a fresh western disturbance expected to influence northwest India from July 2.

The weather system could increase cloud cover and rainfall across Delhi and adjoining areas, helping bring down temperatures. The extent of the relief will depend on how the system interacts with existing moisture and local weather conditions.