IMD issues yellow alert for rain, thunderstorms in Delhi today, AQI at 173

Delhi residents woke up to pleasant weather on Sunday morning as the city continues to enjoy a spell of relief from the scorching heat after witnessing light rain on Saturday. Brief drizzles and a drop in maximum temperatures have kept the weather relatively cool in the national capital. 

 

Today's forecast: IMD issues yellow alert for rainfall

 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Sunday, forecasting rain and thunderstorms. The maximum and minimum temperatures likely to settle around 36 degrees Celsius and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively. Strong surface winds reaching speeds of 30–40 kmph mare also expected.  

 

Weather forecast for the week

 

Residents can expect relief from the heat until May 12, with thunderstorms, rainfall, and a dip in maximum temperatures forecast. Thunderstorms accompanied by rain and gusty winds are likely to continue until Tuesday, with cloudy skies forecasted for the rest of the week. Strong surface winds, reaching speeds of 30–40 kmph during storms, will also be seen. According to the IMD, maximum temperature is expected to hover around 40 degrees Celsius from May 14-17.  

 

Air quality remains in ‘moderate’ category

 

Air quality in Delhi remained in the ‘moderate’ category on Sunday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 173 at 7 am, compared to 170 at the same time a day earlier.

 

The AQI across Delhi-NCR also moved to the ‘moderate’ or ‘satisfactory’ category. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 189 at 4 pm on May 10. In Gurugram, the AQI dropped to 129, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category. Noida and Greater Noida recorded AQIs of 152 and 132, respectively, while Ghaziabad’s AQI stood at 153. 

 

According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.