Rain continues across India amid monsoon retreat; light rain in Delhi today

Heavy showers triggered waterlogging, road closures, and fatalities in Hyderabad and Himachal; IMD warns of continued rains across eastern, northeastern, and peninsular India

Delhi residents woke up to a cooler Friday morning, continuing the relief brought by showers on September 17. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 33.8-degree Celsius, slightly below normal, and a minimum of 25.2-degree Celsius. Light rain eased the hot and humid conditions in parts of Delhi and Noida.

 

For today, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast partly cloudy skies with light to very light rainfall in Delhi-NCR. The maximum temperatures will hover around 33 to 35 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature will remain around 23 to 25-degree Celsius. 

 

 

The Air Quality Index (AQI) worsened, but remained in the ‘moderate’ category at 132, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

 

The IMD noted that the southwest monsoon withdrawal line is progressing, but light showers may still occur, providing relief from the persistent heat in the region. The line of withdrawing monsoon currently stretches across Bhatinda, Fatehabad, Pilani, Ajmer, Deesa, and Bhuj. 

Heavy rains in Hyderabad claim two lives

Heavy rainfall in Hyderabad on Thursday evening caused severe waterlogging and disrupted traffic in several localities, including Chandrayangutta, Mehdipatnam, Secunderabad, and Khairatabad. Two rain-related deaths were reported: a 26-year-old man drowned in a flooded underpass at Balkampet, while the body of another man, washed away in a drain on September 14, was recovered from the Musi river. Some areas recorded rainfall up to 86.5 mm.

Himachal hit hard by rain and landslides

Moderate to heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh led to the closure of 606 roads, including NH 3 (Attari-Leh) and NH-503A (Amritsar-Bhota), with Kullu and Mandi districts most affected. Thunderstorms and gusty winds were reported in Shimla, Kangra, Palampur, Murari Devi, and Sundernagar. 

 

Since the monsoon began, the state has experienced 46 cloudbursts, 98 flash floods, and 146 major landslides, resulting in almost 424 deaths. Over 1,600 houses were destroyed, 7,025 were partially damaged, and 228 power transformers, along with 221 water supply schemes, were affected, resulting in losses of approximately ₹4,749 crore.

Regions expecting very heavy rainfall:

• Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• West Bengal & Sikkim
• Assam & Meghalaya (isolated very heavy falls on September 22)

Regions expecting high rainfall:

• Arunachal Pradesh
• Bihar
• Tamil Nadu
• Goa
• Parts of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura (September 19–25)
• Madhya Pradesh (September 19)
• Uttarakhand (September 19)

  Thunderstorms with gusty winds (30–50 kmph) are expected across several regions, including East India, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, and the Bay of Bengal. 

Weather outlook for the week

Central and eastern India, along with the northeast, can expect isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next week. Light to moderate showers are forecast for parts of South Peninsular and northwest India, while western India may see scattered rainfall. Citizens are advised to remain cautious in areas prone to waterlogging and landslides.