A
part of lush green Aravalis in the plains of Northern India gave way to
the capital of India - Delhi, several centuries ago. Like Agra, the city
of Taj, it is also situated on the banks of river Yamuna. It has
Himalayas to its north and is surrounded by land from all sides.
Position inland, far away from sea, it has extreme continental type of
climate. The weather conditions of Delhi are quite varied with scorching
summers and chilling dry winters. In summers, the days are unbearably hot due to scorching heat of the sun. The day temperature can soar up to as high as 48 deg C. Tourists are advised to exercise extreme precaution during summers. They should drink lots of water and liquids before venturing out to face the heat waves. Comfortable clothes should be worn to avoid inconvenience. Sticking to cottons is a very good option. In contrast, during the winters, the mercury can dip down to as low as 2 deg C.
Misty mornings, foggy evenings and delightfully-mild sunny afternoons make up for a normal winter day. During Monsoon, in July and August, Delhi gets an average rainfall of approximately 714 mm (28.1 inches). However, the annual rainfall is extremely variable, with the lowest recorded since 1864 being 261mm (10.27 inches) and the highest 1,583mm (62.3 inches). The average date of the advent of monsoon winds in Delhi is 29 June.
The best time to visit Delhi, especially for tourism purposes, is the spring season, from February to April, and the autumn season, from August to November. Besides, the blooming seasons in February and March are often accompanied by various colorful spring festivals such as Vasant Panchmi, the festival of flowers and Holi, the best-known festival of colors.