Delhi logs 369.2mm rain this July, second highest in 15 yrs

The Capital finally got relief from the sultry weather after light to moderate rains lashed the city in the early hours of Wednesday, taking the monthly rainfall so far beyond the 300mm-mark, and making it the second wettest July in the last 15 years, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Safdarjung, representative of Delhi's weather, recorded 37.1mm of rainfall till 8.30 am, and added another 0.6mm in the next nine hours to take the monthly total to 369.2mm only the second time in the last 15 years after 2021.

The year 2021 witnessed Delhi's wettest July in the last 15 years with a monthly total of 507.1mm.

July 2003, however, remains the wettest on record with a total rainfall of 632mm.

This July's rainfall tally is likely to go further up, as the weather department has forecast more rain in the city in the next 48 hours, with a yellow alert in place for moderate rain on Thursday. Light to moderate rain is expected on Friday, with the rainfall intensity to reduce from Saturday onwards, according to IMD.

While most stations in the city recorded light to moderate rainfall, an isolated heavy spell of 111mm was recorded at Mayur Vihar. This occurred in only a three hour period between 5.30am and 8.30am.

The showers also cooled the city, bringing down the maximum temperature down to 31.3 degrees Celsius (°C) - four degrees below normal. The minimum was 23.8°C three notches below normal.