Continuous rainfall soaked Delhi and nearby regions on Monday morning, marking a strong comeback of the monsoon after a prolonged dry spell. Heavy to very heavy showers, accompanied by gusty winds and light thunderstorms, were reported across Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, bringing much-needed respite from the recent spell of intense heat.

While the monsoon arrived ahead of schedule for Delhi, the region experienced only scattered rains for nearly ten days. However, meteorological conditions have now aligned to bring substantial rainfall across Delhi and NCR.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Delhi-NCR, warning of continued heavy rainfall through the day. According to the weather department, the monsoon axis has shifted northward, creating conditions favorable for at least two more significant rain spells over the next four days.

“Scattered moderate to heavy rains with thunderstorms will occur in Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida, Palwal, Gurgaon, Baghpat, Parts of Delhi, East Delhi, Jhajjar and nearby areas in the next 2 hours as the axis will shift south once again,” the wweather agency said in a post on X.

The primary reason for this change is the northward shift of the monsoon trough, which is currently positioned over Northern India. This trough is actively drawing moisture from the Arabian Sea, fueling heavier precipitation. Additionally, an approaching Western Disturbance (WD) trough dipping over the region is expected to intensify weather activity, triggering large-scale heavy rains and thunderstorm events.

The downpour this morning caused severe waterlogging and subsequent traffic congestion in several localities of the Capital city. The residents of Sangam Vihar faced major disruptions as the MB Road was submerged under rainwater, leading to long traffic jams and delays for office-goers.

Waterlogging was also reported in East Delhi regions including Akshardham. Commuters expressed frustration and blamed poor drainage infrastructure for the chaos.