New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) The monsoon arrived in the capital three days before its usual date as heavy showers lashed the capital early Sunday, bringing much-needed relief from the sweltering heat. The monsoon was expected to arrive June 29.

"The southwest monsoon has hit the capital three days ahead of its normal arrival," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said.

"The skies will be generally cloudy with pleasant weather throughout the day. Rains or thundershowers will also continue," he said.

The maximum and minimum temperatures Sunday will hover around 35 and 25.9 degrees Celsius.

The rains hit the capital Sunday around 5 a.m. Humidity was recorded at 95 percent.

Last year, monsoon arrived in the capital a week late on July 5. But the capital recorded 772.3 mm of rainfall as compared to the average rains of 645.7 mm.

The earliest onset of monsoon in Delhi in past 30 years was recorded June 15, 2008 and the most delayed was in 1987 -- July 26.

The IMD official said that northwestern part of the country is likely to receive around 97 percent of the average rains.

The maximum and minimum temperatures Saturday hovered around 38.7 and 30 degrees Celsius respectively.