Delayed by nearly a week, monsoon this year will hit Delhi and the National Capital Region within the next 48 hours, the weather office said on Friday.

“Within the next 48 hours, we are expecting the rains to hit the entire Delhi, NCR and Chandigarh area,” an official at the India Meteorological Department told IANS.

“Some parts of east Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, most parts of Punjab and Haryana will also receive the rains within 48 hours,” the official said.

The official said that low atmospheric pressure around the Bay of Bengal and weak winds that failed to carry moisture to Delhi and surrounding areas were the key reasons for the delayed monsoon this year.

Normally, the rains hit Delhi by June 27 or 28 and the advent of monsoon is declared by June 29.