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The 'normal' monsoon rainfall for the country, as a whole, would mean within a range of 96 to 104 per cent of the LPA, which is 87 cm or 870 mm. The IMD had, this April, introduced the new LPA, the new rainfall normal based on rainfall data from 1971-2020 for the southwest monsoon season, replacing the till then used rainfall normal that was based on data from 1961-2010.

Contrary to expectations, the number was reduced for May as the first 10 days and the last 10 days of May had relatively cooler due to the Western Disturbances (WDs). "While the WDs brought in light to moderate rain in the first 10 days and relatively higher rainfall after May 21 to Delhi NCR, they brought in heavy to very heavy rainfall in Western Himalayan Region that has a direct impact on the temperatures of the northwest Indian plains," an IMD scientist said.

Meanwhile, overall rainfall activity is likely to be below normal over most parts of the country during the week till next Thursday. Maximum temperatures are likely to be above normal by 2-4 degrees Celsius over many parts of northwest, central, east, northeast India, and north Peninsular India and near normal over remaining parts of India.

Excess rainfall in the first three week of January - 31.2 mm as against normal 9.7 mm, marking a departure of a whopping 222 per cent, said IMD. During the same time, i.e., the first three week of January, east and northeast India received 12.7 mm against 9.3 mm (36% departure) northwest India received 60.1 mm against normal of 17.4 mm (245%), central India received 21.3 mm rainfall as against the normal of 4.5 mm (373% departure) while the south Peninsula received 18.2 mm against 6.8 mm (168% departure).

Providing some respite from the coldwave being witnessed for the past few days, Delhi on Thursday recorded a maximum temperature of 19-degree Celsius -- two notches below season's usual temperature -- and a minimum temperature of 9.8-degree Celsius, three notches above the season's average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Due to moderate fog in the morning, the visibility was reduced to 499 metres to 200 metres across several pockets, especially in the isolated areas across the city.

Minimum temperatures are likely to rise by 2-4 degrees Celsius over northwest India during the next 3-4 days. A fresh active Western Disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from January 21 onwards while an induced cyclonic circulation is very likely to form over southwest Rajasthan on January 22.

The maximum and minimum temperatures for the day have been pegged at 17 and 8.5 degrees Celsius, respectively, while the relative humidity at 8.30 a.m. was recorded at 90 per cent.

The IMD bulletin said that there were cold day conditions in many parts with severe cold day conditions in isolated pockets over west Madhya Pradesh and east Rajasthan, cold day to severe cold day conditions in some parts of Uttar Pradesh and east Madhya Pradesh, and also in isolated pockets over Punjab and northwest Rajasthan, while cold day conditions were observed in some parts of Haryana and Delhi.

The weatherman has forecast a partly cloudy sky with cold day conditions at isolated places in the city. The maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded to be 16 and 8.7 degrees Celsius.