A little rain, but still no monsoon

By Saturday afternoon, it seemed the wait was finally over. Clouds thickened, rain swept across parts of Delhi, and temperatures dropped sharply.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

NEW DELHI: But despite the promising signs, the monsoon's official arrival in the Capital was deferred yet again and the forecast slipped past its mark.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stopped short of declaring monsoon onset over Delhi and the remaining parts of the country on Saturday, saying conditions were "favourable" and the official declaration may come within the next 48 hours.

Several parts of Delhi saw light to moderate showers by late afternoon, including the southwest, south and eastern zones. The heaviest rain was recorded in Mayur Vihar (23mm), while Palam and Ayanagar logged 9.7mm and 9.2mm respectively. Other areas such as Pusa (0.5mm), Najafgarh (2.5mm), and Lodhi Road recorded only trace rainfall. Delhi's base station at Safdarjung—crucial for determining monsoon onset—also logged only trace rain between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm.