Delhi-NCR witnesses cold morning, overnight shower dips temperature; IMD predicts more rain till...

The national capital, Delhi, witnessed a pleasant change in weather as it experienced light to moderate rain at many places, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds with speeds of 30-40 kmph during the early morning hours on Tuesday. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the rain was attributed to the first strong western disturbance of the post-monsoon season, which brought a steady drizzle and intermittent showers across Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurugram, and other NCR cities.

Delhi records coldest october day in 2 years

The prolonged rainfall led to a noticeable dip in temperatures, with Delhi's maximum temperature settling at 26.5 degrees Celsius on Monday, eight degrees below normal for this time of the year. This was the lowest October maximum since 26.2 degrees Celsius was recorded on October 17, 2023. As of 2:30 AM IST on Tuesday, the temperature had dropped to 21.8°C, with humidity levels soaring to 98 per cent. The winds remained calm, contributing to the still and foggy atmosphere.

Weather forecast for October 7

For Tuesday, the minimum temperature is expected to be near normal, while the maximum temperature is likely to be above normal by 1-2°C. The predominant surface winds are expected to blow from the north-northeast direction at speeds of up to 15 kmph during the morning. According to the IMD, the weather forecast for Tuesday indicates thunderstorms likely this morning, followed by a chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon.

IMD predicts more rain in next two days

On Wednesday, Delhi is likely to witness a partly cloudy sky, with the maximum and minimum temperatures ranging between 31-33°C and 20-22°C, respectively, with both temperatures remaining near normal. The predominant surface winds are forecasted to blow from the northeast direction at speeds of 5-10 kmph during the morning, gradually increasing to 10-15 kmph from the northwest direction during the afternoon and remaining at 10-15 kmph from the northwest direction during the evening and night.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the city is expected to experience a mainly clear sky. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be in the range of 31-33°C and 20-22°C, respectively, with both temperatures near normal. The predominant surface winds are expected to blow from the northwest direction at speeds of 5-10 kmph during the morning.

Winds will increase to 10-15 kmph from the northwest direction during the afternoon and remain at 10-15 kmph from the northwest direction during the evening and night, according to the IMD.

Improvement in air quality

The brief rain also improved air quality, with the 24-hour air quality index (AQI) standing at 105 (moderate) on Monday, improving from 159 (moderate) on Sunday. The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi (AQEWS) forecast the AQI to be “satisfactory” on Tuesday, before returning to “moderate” on Wednesday.