When will monsoon reach Delhi, north India? IMD says wait may be over in 5-6 days

AFter an notably raging write and a delayed oncoming of the sw monsoon, Delhi and several parts of north India may finally be in for relief.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said conditions are favourable for the monsoon to advance further across northern states over the next five to six days, while warning that heatwave conditions are likely to continue in parts of Uttar Pradesh for now, according to a PTI report.According to the IMD, the monsoon is expected to cover more parts of the North Arabian Sea, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the next two to three days.Also Read | Delhi swelters through its warmest morning in 2 years on Sunday amid monsoon delayWhen will Delhi receive rainfall?Private weather forecaster Skymet said Delhi is likely to receive the monsoon by July 4 if conditions remain favourable.The weather agency attributed the delay to the interaction of dry westerly winds from Pakistan and moisture-laden southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea, a combination that has pushed up both temperatures and humidity without producing widespread rainfall, the PTI report added.Also Read | Strong winds in parts of Delhi-NCR bring respite from heat, IMD's orange alert for thunderstormExpert explains Delhi weather"Normally, the monsoon reaches Delhi around June 27-28. This year, however, it is likely to be delayed by about a week," Mahesh Palawat, Vice President (Meteorology and Climate Change), Skymet, said.Explaining the prevailing weather, Palawat said dry and moist air masses have been interacting over Delhi, leading to cloud formation but insufficient moisture for widespread rain. Since the clouds typically develop only in the late afternoon, after the day's peak temperature has already been recorded, both the actual and "feels-like" temperatures have remained unusually high.Delhi continued to swelter on Sunday, recording its warmest morning in two years. The minimum temperature settled at 31.1 degrees Celsius, 3.2 degrees above normal, while the maximum climbed to 41.8 degrees Celsius. According to the IMD, the city experienced heatwave conditions, with the "feels-like" temperature touching around 50.7 degrees Celsius at 5.30 pm. Thunderstorms accompanied by rain have been forecast for Monday.The IMD has also warned of heatwave conditions, which could be severe, in parts of Uttar Pradesh on June 28 and 29. Prayagraj recorded a maximum temperature of 43.4 degrees Celsius, while Lucknow touched 39.7 degrees Celsius, 3.6 degrees above normal. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are also likely at isolated places in eastern Uttar Pradesh.Also Read | Muggy heat kicks Delhi's ‘feel like’ temperature to 51°C, highest this year; rainfall likely from MondayExpected weather in Shimla and J&KElsewhere, the meteorological centre in Shimla forecast a wet spell in Himachal Pradesh till July 4 as a fresh western disturbance is expected to affect northwest India from July 2. A thunderstorm alert with gusty winds of 30-40 kmph has been issued for isolated places between June 30 and July 4. Light rain and thunderstorms were reported from parts of Shimla, Kangra and Mandi over the past 24 hours.In Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius, 3.8 degrees above normal, while Jammu touched 37 degrees Celsius. The weather office has forecast pre-monsoon showers over the Jammu plains on June 29, with heavy rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds expected at isolated places.