Monsoon enters Kerala, north still feeling hot: Will it rain in Delhi-NCR today?

As Kerala welcomes the monsoon with heavy rain, Delhi-NCR remains trapped in heat and humidity, waiting for the seasonal winds to move north. Here's when rains will reach the capital.

In Short

• Monsoon arrived in Kerala on June 4, three days late
• Delhi-NCR remains hot and humid with temperatures up to 38ºC
• Yellow alert for rain and thunderstorms in Delhi expected later today

On Thursday, June 4, heavy rain continued to lash Kerala and adjoining regions as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officially declared the arrival of monsoon, three days after its usual onset date of June 1.

In Kerala, rain battered several districts through the night and into Thursday morning, prompting the IMD to soon issue an orange alert for Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts for parts of the day, warning of thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and gusty winds reaching up to 40 kmph in isolated areas.

The scene in the south could not have been more contrasting than that in Delhi-NCR, which continued to experience warm and humid conditions.

DELHI-NCR REMAINS HOT

While Kerala is experiencing widespread rain, Delhi-NCR remains under the influence of the summer heat.

The capital recorded a minimum temperature of 29.7°C on Thursday morning, while the IMD forecast the maximum temperature on the day to settle around 38°C.

Station-wise observations showed overnight temperatures remained above normal in several parts of the city.

Palam weather observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 27.6°C, Lodhi Road recorded 28.4°C, while Ridge and Ayanagar recorded 27.5°C and 28.4°C respectively.

Residents, however, might find relief in the fact that a yellow alert has been issued for rain and thunderstorms across the city later today.

According to the forecast, Delhi is likely to witness a generally cloudy sky with light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds during the day.

While these weather systems could bring temporary relief from the heat, humidity levels are expected to remain high, keeping conditions uncomfortable.

The expected rain and thunderstorms are linked to local weather systems and western disturbances rather than the southwest monsoon itself, which is still progressing northward from Kerala.

INDIA'S MONSOON SEASON BEGINS

The monsoon's onset over Kerala marks the official beginning of the monsoon season in India.

The southwest monsoon is one of the country's most important weather systems, delivering nearly 70% of its annual rainfall.

The onset declaration means the monsoon has become firmly established over Kerala and is now expected to continue advancing across other parts of the country in the coming weeks.

And that advance is exactly what millions in Delhi-NCR are looking forward to as the capital and the surrounding regions continue to stay warm and humid.

WHEN WILL MONSOON START IN NORTH INDIA?

Following its onset over Kerala, the southwest monsoon typically advances across Karnataka, Goa and northeastern India during the first half of June before spreading into Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and eastern India later in the month.

Under normal conditions, the monsoon reaches Delhi around June 27 and covers most of northwest India, including Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, by the end of June or the first week of July.

For now, India is witnessing two very different weather stories at the same time, but as the monsoon pushes further inland, millions across North India will be watching for the first signs of relief from the long summer season.

- Ends