New Delhi, Jul 16 (IANS): The week started on a sunny note Monday with the minimum temperature settling a notch above average at 27.5 degree Celsius. The weather office has forecast rains in the evening.

"Light rain is expected in parts of the city. The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 37 degree Celsius," an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Humidity recorded at 8.30 a.m. was 79 percent.

According to the Met department, the capital so far has a rainfall deficit of 43 percent.

"This season has seen a 43 percent deficit in rainfall in the capital. Countrywide, there's a 23 percent deficit but we expect that the rains will pick up in a few days," the IMD official told IANS.

According to IMD, normal rainfall expected till July 15 is 153.8 mm, while this year, the capital has received only 87.6 mm rainfall so far. Some deficit could be attributed to the delayed onset of monsoon which arrived a week later than expected this year.

Sunday's maximum temperature settled three notches above at 37 degree Celsius, while the minimum temperature rose a notch above average at 28 degrees Celsius.