Monsoon rains can be seen reaching as far north as New Delhi on Tuesday.
Recent fears that a delayed southwest monsoon across much of India would bring drought and rising food prices were alleviated by drenching rains that finally reached New Delhi and other northern cities on Tuesday.
The rainfall and cloud cover also ended the annual pre-monsoon season of "heat and dust," with daytime temperatures dropping from near 105 degrees Fahrenheit to the more comfortable 70s.
The rainy season across India usually lasts from June until September.
But with nearly a month of that period being rain-free this year, government meteorologists predict precipitation will be only 93 percent of the long-term average nationwide.
Nearly 70 percent of all Indians depend on farming for a living, and about 60 percent of the country’s farms lack irrigation sources, depending entirely on rain.
Satellite Loop: Earthbrowser