The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Delhi, warning of heavy rainfall in the national capital on Thursday. An orange alert is issued as a warning for extremely bad weather with the potential of disrupting normal life and also the power supply.
Strong winds are predicted to sweep the city during the day and the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 34 degrees Celsius, a weather department forecast said. The Weather Department has also predicted moderate rainfall over the next two days.
Delhi received late monsoons this year but still managed to reach the highest rainfall in 46 years. It has already recorded 1,146.4 mm of rainfall so far this monsoon season, the highest in 46 years and also the highest for the month of September in years.
The Safdarjung observatory, which is considered the official marker for the city, had gauged 1,150 mm of rainfall in the monsoon season in 1975. This month alone, Delhi has witnessed 390 mm of rainfall, the second-highest for September since 1901, as days are still left for the completion of the month. Till now the highest rainfall of 417.3 mm was recorded in the month of September 1944.
IMD has forecast heavy rainfall over eastern India on September 18 and 19 due to a cyclonic circulation. The circulation is likely to develop over the north Bay of Bengal on September 17. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, east Rajasthan, and Gujarat are likely to witness intense rainfall activity till Thursday.
"Rainfall activity is likely to increase over Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal with fairly widespread to widespread rainfall and isolated heavy falls over above areas on September 18-19," the IMD said.
