Rain, storms to relieve parts of India of stifling heat through early week

By Faith Eherts, AccuWeather meteorologist

May 20,2017, 10:48:50AM,EDT

 

 

After many weeks of sweltering heat and little rainfall, some relief is in sight for much of northwestern India.
Throughout the past week, temperatures were soaring to above-normal levels; on Thursday alone, more than a dozen cities across the country, including the city of Ongole, surpassed 45 C.
Daily high temperatures are forecast to continue at above-average levels, but afternoon showers and storms will become more frequent through the beginning of the week.
“A strong trough aloft will bring widely separated showers and storms to northwestern India, including New Delhi, into Monday,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls.
So far this month, New Delhi has received only 33 percent of its normal precipitation for May.
"The best chance for rainfall in New Delhi will be Sunday and Monday,” said Nicholls.

Precipitation over the coming days could amount to 5-10 mm (0.2-0.5 of an inch), bringing the monthly precipitation totals to or just above average in the capital.
As a result of the precipitation and increased cloud cover, temperatures in New Delhi early this week will be limited to near average for the first time since early April.
Farther south, the past few weeks have been much more bearable.
Bangalore has experienced near-average temperatures and above-average rainfall this month, with showers and thunderstorms expected to continue through the coming week as monsoon season approaches.
“The southwest monsoon is advancing and overspreading the Andaman Islands a few days ahead of schedule,” said Nicholls.
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“It looks as though the monsoon will continue to advance on schedule over the next couple of weeks.”
Along the southwestern coast, this would mean an onset date near June 1.
“In Kerala, the monsoon could perhaps even arrive a couple of days early,” said Nicholls.
While there's concern that a weak tropical system could form in the Bay of Bengal, the most likely impacts are increased rainfall in Bangladesh and northeastern India late in the week.