Monsoon likely to reach city on July 3

The monsoon is likely to make an onset in the national capital on July 3, after a delay of four days, officials said Friday.

Normally, the wind system reaches the city around June 29, they added.

"A low pressure area is likely to develop in the Bay of Bengal on June 30 which will cause easterly winds to move towards north India and help the monsoon advance," senior scientist at India Meteorological Department, Kuldeep Srivastava said.

"Monsoon is likely to make an onset in the national capital on July 3. Initially, the city will witness only light rain activity," he said.

On Friday, hot and dry conditions prevailed in the national capital, with the mercury crossing the 43-degree Celsius mark in some parts of the city.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides official figures for the city, recorded a maximum of 41.5 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 27.2 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels oscillated between 26 and 69 per cent.

The weather stations at Palam, Ayanagar and Sports Complex recorded the mercury at 43.8, 42.9 and 43.4 degrees Celsius respectively.

The weatherman has predicted a partly cloudy sky, thundery development and strong surface winds on Saturday. The maximum and minimum temperatures will hover around 41 and 28 degrees Celsius.