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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday, June 25, 2023, announced that the southwest monsoon had reached Mumbai and Delhi. This year's monsoon was 14 days late in Mumbai, but arrived two days before the normal start date in Delhi. It is rare for both cities to experience the monsoon simultaneously, with the last recorded case being on June 21, 1961.
The simultaneous arrival of the monsoon in Delhi and Mumbai on the same day can be attributed to the weather systems associated with the southwest monsoon. Monsoon winds, known as the "migratory burst", generally push off the southwestern coast of India and gradually move northward, covering different regions over time.
Several factors contribute to the arrival of the monsoon in specific areas. These include the progress of low-pressure systems, the presence of favorable weather conditions, and the interaction between monsoon winds and local weather patterns. In the case of Delhi and Mumbai, a combination of these factors aligned to bring the monsoon to both cities simultaneously.
"The South West Monsoon is active now. It has covered all of Maharashtra including Mumbai. The monsoon has also reached Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and parts of Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu. It will advance in the next 2 days and will cover other parties as well," said Dr. Mrityunjay Mohapatra, Director General, IMD.
Delhi rainfall
In terms of rainfall, Delhi received 48.3mm of rain in 24 hours, with most of it occurring in the early hours of Sunday. As of 8:30 am, Delhi had recorded a total of 71.4mm of rain. The IMD classifies rainfall as 'very light', 'light', 'moderate' or 'heavy' based on the amount recorded in a single day.
Regarding air quality, Delhi's air was rated moderate, with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 162 at 10am. m. on Sunday, showing a slight improvement from the previous day's reading of 169 at 4 p.m.
The IMD weather forecast indicated that conditions were favorable for the southwest monsoon to advance further over various parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, East Rajasthan and Punjab in the next 48 hours.
Delhi experienced heavy rain with Safdarjung recording 48.3mm of rain in a 24-hour period up to 8:30am on Sunday, with most of it occurring in the early hours. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the day, indicating the possibility of more rain.
A similar alert is also in place for Monday, with forecasts predicting light to moderate rain across the city. Other weather stations in Delhi such as Lodhi Road, Ayanagar, Ridge and Palam also recorded significant rainfall.
The rain has caused a drop in temperature, with a minimum in Delhi recorded at 23.1°C, five degrees below normal. The maximum temperature is expected to be around 32°C on Sunday, down from 37.4°C the day before.
Biperjoy influenced progress of monsoon
An IMD senior scientist, D.S. Pai said Cyclone Biperjoy has influenced the progress of the monsoon in southern India and adjacent western and central regions. However, the monsoon over the Bay of Bengal, which brings rain to northeast and eastern India, has remained strong from June 11 to 23.
Pai explained that the formation of a low pressure area in mid-June and the impact of Cyclone Biperjoy helped drive the monsoon towards eastern India. Currently, the monsoon originating from the Arabian Sea is gaining momentum and a new area of low pressure is developing over the Bay of Bengal.
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