Monsoon set to revive in North India from Thursday, says IMD

After a gap of nearly two weeks, the southwest monsoon is set to revive in north India from August 19, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.

Central and adjoining peninsular India will experience enhanced rainfall activities during the next 2-3 days, the weather department said in its forecast. There will be fairly widespread rainfall in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand and Gangetic West Bengal on Wednesday and Thursday, the IMD further said.

The activity will continue over Madhya Pradesh on Friday too, according to the weather department. East Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are expected to witness isolated heavy rainfall starting Thursday which will continue till Saturday. Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and West Uttar Pradesh will get rainfall for two days - Friday and Saturday - the IMD said.

The IMD has issued an orange alert for moderate rain in Delhi. The precipitation is expected to bring the maximum temperature down to 32 degrees Celsius in three to four days, it said.

The Northeast India, meanwhile, will continue to receive widespread rainfall activity for the next two days, after which the IMD has predicted a decrease in intensity.

Fairly widespread rainfall activity with isolated heavy falls is very likely over Bihar from August 20 to 22, according to IMD. Weather experts said "good rainfall" in the last 10 days of the month is expected to cover the precipitation deficit in the national capital.

Normally, Delhi gauges 247.7mm rainfall in August. The IMD had earlier predicted normal rainfall for Delhi this month. In July, the monsoon had entered the first break phase even before reaching most parts of northwest India, including Delhi.