Summer heat to return, rain unlikely for a week: Forecast

Delhi and parts of northwest India are in for a hot week ahead even as monsoon rains are expected to remain stalled over central India for the period, according to the India Meteorological Department.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok and Jayashree Nandi

NEW DELHI:

IMD forecasts show that rainfall activity in the region will only start picking up after a week, bringing relief from an intense spell of heat.

The heat began to settle in on Saturday itself in the national capital with the mercury inching close to 40 degrees Celsius (°C)—base weather station Safdarjung recorded a maximum of 39.8°C, around normal for this time of the season.

The maximum is expected to further rise, by 3-4°C, in the next five days, the weather department has forecast.

In Delhi, it is likely to touch 42°C on Sunday and possibly go up to 44°C by Tuesday—making it the hottest week so far this season. The highest maximum recorded in the Capital so far is 42.3°C on May 16.

This will also likely be one of the last intense heat spells, before the monsoon resumes progress in other parts of India.

Monsoon has not progressed for over a week now—its progress had stalled around May 29 because of intrusion of dry air. It will again commence advancement during the week of June 12 to 18, according to IMD's extended range forecast.

Till now, most parts of the country saw an unusually cooler summer as the southwest monsoon arrived earlier than usual.