Delhi's wait for monsoon ends, rain drenches parts of city

New Delhi: The much-awaited Southwest Monsoon finally arrived in Delhi Tuesday morning bringing respite from scorching summer temperatures, with weather officials saying the onset has been over two weeks behind the schedule, making it the most delayed in 19 years. In 2002, the monsoon had covered Delhi on July 19.

"The monsoon has arrived in Delhi," senior IMD scientist K Jenamani said after a spell of rains drenched parts of south Delhi Tuesday morning. Other parts of the city also recorded rains during the day with people reporting waterlogging and traffic snarls in some areas.

"The monsoon advanced over Delhi on July 13 against the normal date of June 27," the IMD said. With this, the monsoon has covered the entire country. "Southwest monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of the country including Delhi, remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Thus, the Southwest Monsoon has covered entire country on July 13, against the normal date of July 8," the IMD said. The IMD said that between 8.30 am on July 12 to 8.30 am on July 13, the weather stations at Safdarjung recorded 2.5 cm rainfall, Palam 2.4 cm and Lodhi Road 0.9 cm.

"Finally Monsoon Rains over Delhi! Even though monsoon conditions were prevailing last 2-3 days, @Indiametdept was waiting for these rains to declare monsoon onset. Last 2 days it rained everywhere surrounding Delhi, except Delhi," Ministry of Earth Sciences secretary Madhavan Rajeevan tweeted.