New Delhi, June 30 : Delhi-NCR witnessed a cloudy and humid morning on Tuesday, accompanied by light winds, raising hopes of relief after days of scorching heat. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), light rainfall, dust storms, and gusty winds are likely to affect parts of the National Capital Region during the day as the southwest monsoon continues to advance across northern India.

The monsoon has strengthened its presence over large parts of the country, bringing widespread rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds in several states. The IMD has issued weather advisories for multiple regions, warning of heavy rainfall and wind speeds that could reach up to 70 kmph in isolated locations.

Changing weather conditions are expected across Delhi-NCR as well as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and other states as monsoon activity gathers momentum.

In Delhi, the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 39 degrees Celsius, although weather conditions are likely to become more favourable with increasing rainfall over the coming days.

The national capital had already received some respite on Monday evening when light showers and isolated thunderstorms lashed parts of Delhi and adjoining areas, including Noida. The rainfall helped reduce temperatures and brought temporary relief from the persistent heat and humid conditions experienced over the past several days.

Despite the improving weather, the IMD has cautioned that isolated pockets of Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh may continue to experience heatwave conditions on June 30. However, the department expects a gradual decline of 4 to 5 degrees Celsius in maximum temperatures across northwest India by July 4 as monsoon winds strengthen and rainfall becomes more widespread.

In Uttar Pradesh, heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms has been forecast for several districts, including Lucknow, Meerut, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Agra, Mathura, Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, and Muzaffarnagar. Residents have been advised to remain cautious as cloudy skies, lightning, and intermittent showers are expected throughout the day.

Bihar is also likely to witness active monsoon conditions, with heavy rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds predicted for Patna, Gaya, Nawada, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Bhagalpur, Katihar, and several other districts. In some isolated areas, wind speeds could reach between 65 and 70 kmph, prompting authorities to advise residents to stay alert and follow weather updates as conditions evolve.

/IANS