Cloudy skies, drizzle in Delhi; IMD issues heavy rain alert for Uttarakhand

IMD forecasts cloudy skies and drizzle in Delhi; Uttarakhand faces red, orange, and yellow alerts for heavy to very heavy rain in multiple districts this week

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a generally cloudy sky with the possibility of light rain or drizzle accompanied by lightning in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Wednesday. The maximum temperature is expected between 33 and 35 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will be around 23 to 25 degrees Celsius.

 

IMD weekly forecast for Delhi

 

Rainfall is expected intermittently through the week, with partly sunny conditions and high clouds on August 14. Maximum temperatures could touch 35 degrees Celsius, with warm and humid nights at around 27 degrees Celsius.

 

From August 15 afternoon, light to moderate showers are likely, followed by intermittent rainfall over the weekend and into early next week. Daytime temperatures will range between 31 and 34 degrees Celsius, and night temperatures between 26 and 27 degrees Celsius.

 

The active monsoon trough over northern India is drawing moist south-westerly winds from the Arabian Sea, sustaining the cloudy and rainy pattern in the capital. 

 

Delhi air quality drops to ‘moderate’

 

After days in the “satisfactory” category, Delhi’s air quality worsened to “moderate” on Wednesday, with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recording an AQI of 112 at 9 am.

 

On August 12, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI was 94 at 4 pm. Gurugram registered an AQI of 58, Noida 66, Greater Noida 118, and Ghaziabad 96.

 

The CPCB’s AQI classification is:

 

0–50: Good

 

51–100: Satisfactory

 

101–200: Moderate

 

201–300: Poor

 

301–400: Very Poor

 

401–500: Severe 

 

Heavy rain alerts in Uttarakhand

 

The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) has issued advisories to district magistrates after the IMD predicted heavy to very heavy rain across the state over the coming week.

 

From August 13 to 14, red alerts will be in effect for Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, and Bageshwar, warning of heavy to very heavy rain at several places, with isolated incidents of extremely heavy rain. Other districts will be under an orange alert.

 

On August 15, these districts will move to an orange alert, while yellow alerts will apply elsewhere in the state.

 

Authorities have been directed to monitor traffic, provide timely updates, and ensure emergency preparedness in light of the forecast.