After weeks of intense heat and a delayed southwest monsoon, weather conditions may finally be turning favourable for Delhi and much of north India.
Satellite images have revealed the formation of a nearly 1,500-km-long monsoon trough extending from the northern Bay of Bengal to Jammu and Kashmir. This key weather system is expected to support widespread rainfall across the region in the coming days.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the monsoon trough has formed but is currently located near the Himalayan foothills. As it gradually shifts southward toward its normal position, thunderstorm activity is expected to increase across north India, helping the monsoon advance between July 1 and July 4.
INSAT-3DS satellite imagery shows a large band of dense cloud cover stretching from eastern India to the Himalayan region, indicating a strengthening monsoon circulation after nearly three weeks of slow progress.
What Is a Monsoon Trough?
A monsoon trough is an elongated low-pressure zone that serves as the backbone of the southwest monsoon. It draws moisture-laden winds from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal deep into the Indian subcontinent.
When positioned farther north, rainfall tends to remain concentrated along the Himalayan foothills, leaving areas such as Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan relatively dry and hot. This has largely been the situation throughout June.
Delhi continued to experience heatwave conditions on Monday, with temperatures exceeding 42°C at Safdarjung and reaching 43.4°C at Delhi Ridge. Rohtak recorded 43.5°C, while Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar remained the hottest location in the region at 45.1°C.
High humidity levels have further worsened conditions, making the weather feel more uncomfortable despite isolated thunderstorms in parts of Haryana, Rajasthan, and the National Capital Region.
Meteorologists now believe the weather pattern is becoming more favourable for active monsoon conditions.
In addition to the monsoon trough, forecast models suggest that a fresh low-pressure area may develop over the Bay of Bengal later this week. This system could strengthen monsoon winds, increase moisture inflow into northern India, and bring widespread rainfall and thunderstorms to Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
While scattered pre-monsoon showers may occur over the next couple of days, more organised and sustained rainfall is expected from midweek onward.
If forecasts remain on track, Delhi could finally witness the arrival of the southwest monsoon during the first week of July, providing much-needed relief from the season’s prolonged heat and humidity.
