Monsoon likely to stay till October in Delhi

NEW DELHI: The monsoon in Delhi this year is likely to have an extended run till October against September 21 earlier, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.
IMD scientist Kuldeep Srivastava said it would most likely stay till first week of October and also help in keeping the air quality index (AQI) in the “satisfactory-to-moderate” range.
Another scientist at IMD said the average withdrawal date of September 21 was calculated considering the record of the past 30 years. However, since 2003, the monsoon has been withdrawing only after September 25. Last year, it withdrew on October 10.
Monsoon withdrawal begins from west Rajasthan and reaches Delhi via some parts of Punjab and Jammu Kashmir. “The ongoing week will have a dry spell, while Delhi will receive light rain next week,” said Srivastava.
At 467.2mm, the seasonal rainfall in Delhi is in the “normal” category. This season, north Delhi is the only district in “excess” category with 619mm rain. East, north East and North West districts saw “deficit” rainfall, while Central Delhi, with 250.2mm rainfall, fared the worst with a “large deficit” of 60%.
The AQI in the capital on Wednesday was in the “moderate” range at 105. “As the wind direction will not change in October, the air quality will remain good. Following the lockdown in March, the emission, industrial and other activities were controlled. Hence, the air quality will be the best in 2020,” said Dipankar Saha, former head of Central Pollution Control Board’s air laboratory.