Cooler, wetter end to June; rainy start to July predicted

With the monsoon finally making its much-awaited foray into Delhi on Sunday, as announced by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), June is set to end wetter and cooler than usual, keeping in line with the trend the previous month, as Delhi recorded its wettest May historically, according to data.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok and Paras Singh

NEW DELHI:

Delhi's monthly average maximum temperature has been 37.8°C—1.2 degrees below the long-period average (LPA) of 39°C for June—and the average monthly minimum has been 27.2°C, 0.5°C below the LPA, IMD data showed. Last year, they were 41.6°C and 29.8°C, respectively, and 37.2°C and 25.9°C in 2023.

IMD officials said June this year has been similar to June 2023, when consistent rainfall was seen throughout the month, making for cooler day and night-time temperatures. "Even without the monsoon, Delhi had already seen excess rain, thanks to active weather systems and western disturbance in northwest India. We saw consistent spells of light rain in the city and frequent days where overcast skies were observed. This helped in regulating temperature, although humidity was high on a few days," an official said.