Delhi gets new monsoon cycle
The skies are going to keep pouring for at least another 10 days, with the monsoon clouds unlikely to recede from Delhi before the second week of September. Experts believe that this is happening due to a visible change in the weather pattern in the city, which is witnessing both the late arrival and late departure of the winds containing rain consistently for the past three years.
During all these three years incessant rains have led to the Yamuna cross the danger mark.
'We have observed that monsoon is arriving around seven to 10 days late in north and central India and its late withdrawal from north-west India. This unusual phenomenon is due to changing pattern of temperature gradient. However, we are yet to establish the cause, as monsoon is a very complex phenomenon and is effected by several factors,' said O P Singh, the deputy director general of meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Delhi. 'Interestingly, the period of monsoon in this region is getting extended, as its withdrawal is delayed due to the late arrival of winter winds in the Himalayan region,' Singh added.
Delhi and the nearby regions which recorded over 57 per cent rain deficit till mid-August, is set to get its due rain by September. The rain deficit in Delhi till Tuesday was only 19 per cent, which, scientist say, was indicative of situation turning normal.
The current rain spells in the city are credited to the winds coming from the Arabian Sea, which is recharging the weak monsoon with heavy moisture emanating from it, leading to rainfall in north-west and central India. 'Mid-tropospheric cyclonic circulation and low-level circulation in south Pakistan and Gujarat is adding heavy moisture to the monsoon winds, causing heavy rains in the north west, north and central India,' said R C Vashisht, a director at the RMC.
His colleague Singh added, 'The formation of low pressure areas and depressions in the Bay of Bengal have come down to less than half in the last five to six years, due to which monsoon becomes stagnant in eastern India. This year also no low pressure area was formed in June and July. However, some very low pressure areas were formed in August which were fortunately lasted long and reached up to north-west India.'
The weather officials in the city have predicted moderate to heavy rainfall till 3 September. 'We predict only seven days forecast but my experiences say moderate to heavy rainfall will last at least till 12 September,' said a senior scientist.
