Delhi-NCR's humidity has crossed 60%. When will the sticky weather end?

The IMD has forecast a 5-6ºC fall in both maximum and minimum temperatures in the coming days, pointing to the relief that is on the way.

In Short

• Delhi-NCR faces extreme heatwave with temperatures around 42.2ºC recorded
• Minimum temperatures remain high, adding to discomfort with sticky humidity
• Temperatures likely to drop by 5-6ºC as monsoon settles in over the region.

Delhi-NCR is feeling less like a furnace and more like a steam room. Even without widespread rain, humidity levels climbed to around 60% on Tuesday morning, making the heat feel far more oppressive than the thermometer suggested.

While temperatures are expected to ease over the next few days as the southwest monsoon inches closer, residents will first have to endure another spell of sticky, uncomfortable weather driven by the combination of intense heat and moisture-laden air.

It wasn't just the peak temperatures that made residents struggle to cope. The minimum temperatures also remained above average, ranging between 3-5°C, while only a hint of rainfall was recorded.

The heat is nothing Delhi and its people are not familiar with. In fact, the city has grown accustomed to seeing frequent heatwaves with no relief, as temperatures often soar during the day and even through the nights.

This latest spell, however, has also thrown humidity into the mix, making conditions worse.

On June 30, at 10:45 am, the humidity levels in Delhi-NCR were recorded at around 60%, according to weather apps.

WHY DOES DELHI-NCR FEEL SO HUMID?

As the monsoon advances across northern India, moisture-laden winds from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal begin reaching Delhi-NCR. However, widespread rainfall has not yet arrived, which is creating a pre-monsoon weather pattern where hot air combines with high moisture levels, making the atmosphere feel unusually humid.

The irony behind the extreme conditions is that the humidity which is causing it, is also announcing that relief is inching closer.

The rising humidity is a sign that the southwest monsoon is getting closer to the national capital after missing it's expected June 27 arrival, and now expected to bring relief by early July.

Humidity also slows the evaporation of sweat from the skin, reducing the body's natural cooling mechanism, making it worse and more dangerous than dry heat.

This causes the "feels-like" temperature, also known as the heat index, to climb well above the actual air temperature, making outdoor conditions especially uncomfortable.

The IMD said conditions are favourable for the southwest monsoon to advance further into more parts of north India over the next few days, signalling that Delhi is nearing the onset of the rainy season.

Adding to that are the short-lived showers that Delhi-NCR experienced on Monday, June 29, that did little to cool down the temperatures but did fuel the humidity.

WHEN WILL IT RAIN IN DELHI-NCR?

The good news is that relief is expected to arrive gradually.

According to the IMD's latest forecast, Delhi is likely to witness generally cloudy skies along with spells of light rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching up to 60 kmph on June 30 and July 1.

Rainfall activity is expected to become more widespread on July 2, when light rain is forecast at many places and moderate rain at isolated locations.

As rain-bearing clouds become more frequent, daytime temperatures are expected to drop significantly.

The IMD has forecast maximum temperatures to fall from the currently observed 38-40°C on June 30 to around 32-34°C by July 2, with a gradual fall of 5-6°C over the coming week.

Until the monsoon establishes itself over Delhi-NCR, people are likely to continue experiencing the familiar combination of scorching heat and oppressive humidity that typically marks the transition into the rainy season.

- Ends