NEW DELHI: Parts of the national capital saw light rain on Friday morning as an active western disturbance moved across the region, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to forecast more showers through the day.
The city may witness one or two spells of light rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30–40 kmph, particularly during the early to forenoon hours, officials said.
The brief spell of rain and thunderstorm brought marginal relief from Delhi’s lingering smog, though air quality remained in the “poor” category. The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 297 at 7 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Several areas continued to report poor air quality levels: Anand Vihar (317), Ashok Vihar (335), Wazirpur (351), Punjabi Bagh (326), RK Puram (315), Bawana (342), ITO (266), Chandni Chowk (326) and Dwarka Sector 8 (316).
Thursday had been unusually warm, with the maximum temperature touching 27.1°C — about seven degrees above normal — making it the warmest January day in seven years. Weather officials attributed the spike to persistent warm easterly winds and clear skies, which increased sunshine hours. “Westerly winds are cold, while easterly winds tend to be warmer at this time of year,” an official explained.
With multiple spells of rain expected, temperatures are set to fall. The maximum is likely to drop to 18–20°C on Friday and further to 16–18°C on Saturday.
The showers and increased cloud cover are also expected to improve air quality, keeping AQI in the poor range on Friday but potentially bringing it down to moderate levels by Saturday.
The IMD has issued a yellow alert for rain across Delhi. Officials added that another round of very light to light rain is likely by afternoon or evening, and advised residents to remain cautious of gusty winds and localised thunderstorms.
