The monsoon arrived in Delhi on Thursday, five days behind schedule (June 27), the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said, forecasting rain and thunderstorms until Friday and possibly for the next five days. The minimum temperature dipped to 22.8°C compared to 28.6°C on Wednesday with the monsoon onset. The normal minimum temperature from June 30 to July 4 is 27.9°C.Delhi received rain on Wednesday night and the early hours of Thursday. (HT PHOTO)According to IMD data since 1960, there were 33 monsoon onsets each in June and July until 2025. The earliest arrival of the monsoon was on June 9, 1961. The most delayed was in 1987 when the monsoon reached Delhi on July 27.Delhi received rain on Wednesday night and in the early hours of Thursday. Chattarupur recorded 17.5mm of rainfall between 11:30pm (Wednesday) and 8:30am (Thursday), followed by Ayanagar (5mm), Safdarjung (4.6mm), Lodi Road (4.1mm), Mayur Vihar and Janakpuri (3.5mm), the Ridge (3mm), Palam (1.9mm), and Jafarpur (1mm).The IMD categorises rainfall up to 15.5mm as light, between 15.6 mm and 64.4 mm as moderate, between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm as heavy, and between 115.6 and 204.4 as very heavy.The IMD issued a red alert, the highest level of weather warning, for rain at 6:45am on Thursday. It was updated to an orange alert at 8:15am as IMD forecast very light rain, drizzle, thunderstorms, and wind speeds of 30-40 kmph within the next two hours.The IMD said moderate rain was expected at isolated places, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, during the afternoon to night next week.Amateur meteorologist Navdeep Dahiya said the monsoon covered Delhi, parts of central Haryana, Punjab, and parts of east Rajasthan until Thursday morning. He cited satellite imagery and said it indicates good cloud cover over the region with rain since Wednesday night. “Rains to tape down from noon onwards and shall return after midnight,” Dahiya wrote on X.One or two spells of very light to light rain with thunderstorms were expected on Friday. The maximum temperature was expected to be recorded between 30°C and 32°C, compared to a normal temperature of 37.4°C.The IMD and private forecasters on Wednesday indicated that the monsoon could advance into the capital before the weekend. In its Wednesday evening bulletin, the IMD said conditions are favourable for the monsoon to continue advancing over the next two days, including into Delhi. Private forecasters said conditions were already favourable for the monsoon to reach the capital by Thursday night or Friday.