New Delhi, India - A wave of light to moderate rainfall swept across Delhi late Monday night, bringing a refreshing respite from the sweltering heat and causing a significant drop in temperature. The city's mercury levels plummeted by 6 degrees Celsius, offering a welcome relief to residents who had been enduring the scorching summer conditions.
Visuals from areas like Rafi Marg and Moti Bagh captured the showers, which resulted in minor traffic congestions. However, the overall impact was a pleasant change in the city's weather.
The Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC) had accurately predicted the rainfall, indicating light to moderate intensity showers with isolated heavy spells in and around Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).
The RWFC's detailed forecast mentioned the possibility of thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 30-50 km/h, encompassing areas like Ghaziabad, Noida, Dadri, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Manesar.
Similar weather patterns were predicted for regions in Uttar Pradesh, including Nazibabad, Bijnaur, Chandpur, Kithor, Amroha, Moradabad, Garhmukteshwar, Rampur, Sambhal, Billari, Milak, Chandausi, Bahajoi, Bareilly, Sahaswan, and Badayun.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) also extended its forecast to other parts of the country, anticipating light to moderate rainfall in several northeastern regions over the next two days. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu and Kerala were bracing for heavy to very heavy rainfall.
In line with these predictions, several parts of Tamil Nadu's Dindigul district experienced heavy rainfall on Monday morning. Dindigul town recorded 35 mm of rainfall, while Kodaikanal (Rose Garden) witnessed a 30 mm spell. Kamatchipuram received 11.5 mm of rainfall, and Briyant Park in Kodaikanal observed a 43.6 mm spell.
The IMD further indicated that the northeast monsoon is likely to commence in Tamil Nadu on October 18.
Overall, the rainfall across Delhi and other parts of the country brought a much-needed respite from the summer heat, signaling a shift in weather patterns.