Delhi likely to break another rainfall record as IMD issues orange alert for today

New Delhi: Delhi is likely to see another monsoon rainfall record being broken with the weather department issuing an orange alert for moderate precipitation on Wednesday. The monsoon this year has yielded a bounteous 1164.7 mm of rainfall in Delhi till Wednesday morning, the highest since 1964 and the third-highest since the data has been maintained by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Delhi had gauged 1,155.6 mm of rainfall in 1975 and 1,190.9 mm in 1964. With on and off rain predicted till September end, it is on course to become the second-wettest monsoon ever in Delhi by the time it withdraws, according to IMD officials. Moderate rain is likely in the city on Wednesday due to an interaction between a Western Disturbance and moisture-laden easterly winds. A cyclonic circulation lies over eastern Rajasthan, an official said. Light to moderate rain is predicted on Thursday. Rainfall recorded below 15 mm is considered light, between 15 and 64.5 mm is moderate, between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm is heavy, between 115.6 and 204.4 is very heavy. Anything above 204.4 mm is considered extremely heavy rainfall. Delhi’s September rainfall has already breached the 400 mm mark. At 408.3 mm till Wednesday morning, it is the maximum rainfall recorded in the month since September 1944 when 417.3 mm was recorded. Normally, Delhi records 653.6 mm of rainfall during the monsoon season. Last year, the capital gauged 648.9 mm of precipitation. Between June 1, when the monsoon season starts in the country, and September 21, the city normally gets 625.8 mm of rainfall. The monsoon withdraws from Delhi by 25 September.