Delhi sees driest September in 16 years

The national capital has recorded 20.9 millimetres (mm) of rainfall so far in September. This is the driest September for Delhi in 16 years, as per the data from India Meteorological Department (IMD).

According to IMD scientists, no more rainfall is expected in September, as the monsoon is set to withdraw from Delhi by the end of this month.

“Delhi recorded three days of rainfall on September 5, 6 and 8. No more rainfall is expected in September. This is mainly because the monsoon trough, which is an area of low pressure, has largely remained in the hilly regions in September. There was no low-pressure system or any disturbance to have induced rainfall,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head of regional weather forecasting centre, IMD.

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The national capital’s average rainfall for September is around 129.8 mm.

Safdarjung Observatory, which is taken as a representative for the national capital’s weather, recorded only three days of rainfall in September, measuring 20.9 mm.

Earlier, the lowest September rainfall was recorded in 2004 when Delhi had received 3 mm of rainfall. In 2015, the city had recorded 22 mm of rainfall in the same month. While last year’s corresponding figure was 74 mm.

Similarly, it was 58 mm, 158 mm and 237 mm of rainfall in 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively, as per the IMD data.

Prior to 2004, Delhi had recorded 1.6 mm of rainfall in September, Srivastava added.