Showers in city for two more days

GURUGRAM: Since July, there have been far too many dry days. Days without rain, that is. This monsoon, like the last three, has flattered to deceive, at least in these parts.

But on Friday, as a reminder that it's still lurking (though very much in snooze mode), and that it has no intention of departing softly, the monsoon returned for a final fling. Before cooler, drier days set in.

As forecast, incessant rains lashed the city on weekend eve, in what is likely the farewell act of this year's monsoon drama (lacking in drama though it might have been). Following a sequence of hot and sultry days, Gurgaon woke up to an overcast sky and a welcome cool breeze, which provided more than a hint of the showers around the corner.

Beginning just before noon, the rain persevered on and off throughout the day, at times lightly and gently, at others with a rhythmic flurry, though rarely with the fury one associates with the monsoon. Mercifully, the cool breeze stayed behind, giving the feel of one of those lazy, leisurely, windswept days of yore.

And for much of a grey Friday, the picture was of rain-washed - and relatively traffic-free - streets. But that was before the officegoers set off for home. In the evening, snarls were reported on stretches of Golf Course Road, between Sikanderpur and Cyber City, and especially towards Shankar Chowk. There was also a jam extending up to a kilometre on the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road, all the way up to Gwal Pahari. Even beyond 8 pm, traffic was moving slowly on sections of NH-8.

According to the met department, the wet spell will persist on Saturday and into Sunday, but conditions are expected to clear up late on the weekend.

Come the new week, Puja devotees can look forward to a spell of dry weather, with rain unlikely to dampen the city's festive mood.