After July boost, Telangana braces for subdued rainfall spell

Delhi-NCR faces a renewed wave of rain and thunderstorms as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red, yellow, and orange alerts for varying intensities of precipitation across different parts of the national capital. The warnings come as the region continues to deal with humid weather and an uneven monsoon season. On Thursday, August 13, 2026, the Regional Meteorological Centre, New Delhi, released a district-level nowcast predicting rain with varying intensity until 5:55 pm. The most severe conditions are expected over Central Delhi, South Delhi, New Delhi, South West Delhi, and West Delhi, where heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is highly probable. Moderate rain with thunderstorms and lightning is forecast for Central Delhi, South Delhi, New Delhi, West Delhi, and North Delhi. Light rain or thunderstorms with lightning are likely over Southeast Delhi, East Delhi, Shahdara, Central Delhi, Northeast Delhi, South Delhi, New Delhi, and North Delhi. The color-coded map issued by the IMD highlights these conditions, marking the heaviest rain zones in red. This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available. The rain is expected to continue for approximately two hours before easing by the afternoon, with scattered showers likely to persist throughout the remainder of the day. The city received 4 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Tuesday, with Lodi Road recording 4.8 mm and the Ridge recording 6.9 mm. Palam recorded trace rainfall, while Ayanagar recorded no rainfall during the period. Delhi has experienced an above-normal monsoon between June 1 and August 10, recording 534.3 mm of rainfall during that time. In addition to Delhi, other parts of the country are also experiencing weather-related challenges. In Mumbai, heavy rainfall led to landslides, claiming two lives and blocking numerous roads. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation reported several incidents of electrical short circuits and fallen trees. A yellow alert has been issued for parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Palghar, and Nashik. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh has faced severe weather impacts, with at least 70 people losing their lives in rain-related disasters over the past 43 days. As many as 204 roads remain blocked in the hill state, including two national highways, according to the latest data from the State Emergency Operation Centre. The IMD has also corrected its earlier data regarding Delhi’s rainfall. Initially, it stated that the city had received 234.5 mm of rain in the first 10 days of August, surpassing the expected monthly total of 233.1 mm. However, the department later revised this figure to 197.2 mm, citing an error in the data entry for August 6, where 56 mm was incorrectly entered instead of 18.7 mm. This correction highlights the importance of accurate data collection in weather forecasting. Looking ahead, the monsoon axis appears to be shifting, bringing relief to Delhi-NCR and Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Punjab. Satellite imagery from INSAT-3DS on August 16 showed the bulk of monsoon cloud activity concentrated over eastern and central India, extending from eastern Uttar Pradesh through Bihar and into the Bay of Bengal. Large parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi-NCR remain under relatively cloud-free conditions. Sustained northwesterly winds are transporting drier air into the region, reducing humidity levels and improving comfort conditions. While daytime temperatures may not drop dramatically, the reduction in moisture content is expected to significantly lower humidity and enhance comfort. The shift in the monsoon axis toward the Himalayan foothills is also likely to increase rainfall over parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and adjacent foothill regions. However, the dry spell is not expected to last long. Weather models suggest that conditions could change again between August 18 and 20 as a low-pressure area moves inland from the Bay of Bengal. This system is expected to interact with the monsoon trough, causing it to oscillate southward once more. As a result, rainfall activity may gradually return to northwest India later in the week and into the weekend. The developing low-pressure area is also expected to keep heavy rain concentrated over eastern and central Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and surrounding regions over the next few days. For now, Delhi and its neighboring states can anticipate a brief respite from the sticky monsoon conditions, with clearer skies and lower humidity dominating the region. The next two days are expected to remain largely dry, with only isolated evening showers in a few pockets. The weather forecast for the city is dominated by very light to light rain, although rainfall can vary considerably across the NCR. Residents should stay informed and prepared for potential disruptions due to the ongoing weather changes.