Delhi weather update: Yellow alert issued for light rain; AQI at 178

Delhi experiences cloudy skies and cooler temperatures as IMD forecasts light rain and thunderstorms while AQI improves to moderate levels after recent rainfall

Delhi residents woke up to pleasant weather on Wednesday, with light winds making the morning comfortable. The sky remained overcast, offering respite from the heat. Various parts of the city also witnessed a drop in temperatures.

 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the Capital today, warning of possible thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds. Delhi is expected to see generally cloudy skies with light rain or thunderstorm activity over the next two days. On Tuesday, the city recorded a minimum temperature of 24.6 degrees Celsius, which is 2.3 degrees below the seasonal average.

 

Today's weather forecast for Delhi

 

Light rain, thunderstorms, and lightning are expected in parts of the city. Maximum temperatures may rise to 33 to 35 degrees Celsius. Gusty winds with speeds of 40–50 kmph, temporarily reaching up to 60 kmph, may also occur during the day. The met department has also issued a safety advisory for residents. 

 

Delhi's weather forecast for this week

 

From 5 June onwards, weather conditions are forecast to stabilise with partly cloudy skies and rising temperatures. Daytime temperatures are set to touch 38 to 40 degrees Celsius between 5 and 8 June. Despite the trend, IMD has clearly stated that no heatwave conditions are likely over the next seven days. Winds are expected to shift north-westerly later in the week, with moderate speeds of 20 to 30 kmph.  Meanwhile, several northeastern states remain severely impacted by floods and landslides triggered by continuous heavy rainfall, with the death toll rising to 47 and over 633,000 people affected as of Tuesday. Assam has reported the highest number of fatalities at 17, including five from landslides in and around Guwahati. Arunachal Pradesh has recorded 12 deaths, followed by six each in Meghalaya and Mizoram, three in Sikkim, two in Tripura, and one in Nagaland. 

Delhi’s air quality in the 'moderate' category

 

Air quality in Delhi improved to the ‘moderate’ category on Wednesday morning following widespread rain across Delhi-NCR. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 178 at 8 am on 4 June, compared to 138 at the same time a day earlier.

 

The improvement in air quality is attributed to the rain, which cleared the atmosphere of pollutants.

 

Air quality also improved across the NCR, with AQI levels remaining ‘moderate’ in most locations. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 143 at 4 pm on 3 June. In Gurugram, the AQI was 144. Noida and Greater Noida recorded AQIs of 145 and 109 respectively, while Ghaziabad’s AQI stood at 130. 

 

According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 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’.