High temperatures: Is this monsoon or summer?

The rain gods appear to be lazy and stingy, with the city, though officially still supposed to be witnessing monsoon, receiving scanty rainfall over the last few weeks of September. What is more, the warm and humid weather that has been a norm over the last few days are set to continue.According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials, the monsoon was yet to come to an end, though the city and its suburbs were already witnessing sultry conditions with the mercury levels soaring above 30 degrees over the last one week. On Wednesday, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 33.5 degrees Celsius. In wake of the lack of rainfall, warm conditions were prevailing in the city and the temperatures are likely to increase in the city in the coming days.

Officials said the monsoon too would soon withdraw from the city, which in effect would see daytime temperatures going up to or above 35 degrees Celsius in the next one week.“If weather systems like low pressure and cyclones are formed, then mercury levels will come down. It is mainly due to lack of rainfall that the mercury levels are soaring and whatever might be the case, the chances of rainfall are bleak,” officials said.

According to IMD, mercury levels would usually settle at 35 degrees Celsius in October, as was seen in 2015 and 2016 and this time, the maximum temperature was likely to go up by one or two degrees from the current 33 degrees Celsius.On the other hand, the IMD forecast for the next four days saw that rain or thundershowers are likely to occur towards evening or night in the city.