Met Dept expert: Soaring temperatures in Delhi due to 'westerlies'; relief soon

The soaring temperatures in the national capital and much of North India are due to the 'westerlies', prevailing winds moving from the west to east, according to meteorological scientist Dr BP Yadav.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Dr Yadav said, "The temperature is usually controlled by rain or by clouds during the monsoons. In August we usually have rainy conditions: it is wet and humid and the temperature stays low. But for a week or ten days, the conditions are such that the rainfall has either been in South India or in the North-East."

Adding to it, he said, "In West India and North India, there has been no rain because the humid air that comes in from the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea is not coming in. The westerlies are coming in instead. The pattern of the monsoons is such that if there is no rainfall in North or West India, then the temperatures will soar.

However, Dr Yadav said that relief was in sight. "It is the end of this heat spell in August.

According weather patterns, there should be a low pressure situation building in the Bay of Bengal by August 28, which will lead to the easterlies coming in, and bringing clouds with them," he said.

He also warned that the rains will not be very heavy, saying, "Rains will be intermittent but the temperature will drop."

Overall in the country, there has been a deficiency of 18 per cent in the monsoon.

Temperatures in New Delhi have been scorching, with August 26 declared as the hottest day of the month in 12 years.