These days in the capital city, the temperature does not drop below 40°C. Days are unbearably hot while nights are unusually warm. But the residents of Delhi may soon find an end to this heat spell, as the Indian Meteorological Department, IMD, has stated that the south-west monsoon will arrive sooner than expected. 

The south-west monsoon will remain in the parts of Central and East India and some parts of Northwest India from June 12 to June 18. Showers are expected to cover most parts of North India, including Delhi, between June 19 and June 25. 

Early Monsoon

Monsoon usually hits the capital city around 30th June, but this year, the south-west monsoon arrived in Kerala on May 24, much ahead of the usual June 1 onset. It reached Mumbai by May 26, which is 16 days earlier than the usual date. This monsoon is reportedly the earliest monsoon onset in Mumbai city in the last 75 years. 

However, heat wave conditions are likely to persist in parts of the city till Saturday. Isolated areas within the capital city have experienced four consecutive days of tremendous heat waves, like on Thursday, the city registered its warmest day of the season with maximum temperature settling at 43.9°C, 4 °C above normal. The heat wave index is worst, reaching around 54°C, and the minimum temperature was recorded on Friday morning at 31°C, three notches above the seasonal average.