Delhi under orange alert as monsoon arrives early, rain forecast all week

The IMD has forecast thunderstorms, gusty winds and rain throughout the week, while Delhi's air quality remains in the 'satisfactory' category amid monsoon showers

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Delhi on Monday, forecasting generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms. These are expected to be accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 30–40 kmph, occasionally reaching up to 50 kmph during storms.

 

According to the IMD, an orange alert suggests the possibility of moderate to heavy rainfall. The alert signifies severe weather that could impact transport and power supply.

 

The showers are likely to lower the maximum temperature, keeping it between 31 and 33 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is expected to hover around 23–25 degrees Celsius.

 

 

Delhi weather: Weekly forecast

 

Delhi is expected to experience mostly cloudy skies from June 30 to July 6, with the IMD issuing a yellow alert for June 30 and July 1. Thunderstorms, lightning, and light to very light rainfall are forecast through July 6. Evening or night-time storms may bring gusty winds ranging from 30–40 kmph, with occasional peaks of 50 kmph. Rainfall intensity is likely to vary, but no heatwave conditions are expected during the week. 

 

Monsoon reaches Delhi ahead of schedule

 

Parts of Delhi, including Vasant Kunj, Malviya Nagar and Tughlakabad, received light showers on Sunday morning, offering brief relief from the hot and humid weather, reported PTI. Areas such as Hauz Khas, Kalkaji, Mehrauli, Chhattarpur, IGNOU, Aya Nagar and Deramandi witnessed light to moderate rain around 11 am, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds.

 

The monsoon reached Delhi on Sunday, a day ahead of its usual June 30 schedule, and covered the rest of the country nine days earlier than the normal July 8 timeline, the IMD said.

 

According to IMD records, this is the fastest the monsoon has spanned the entire country since 2020, when it did so by June 26. This year, the monsoon made an exceptionally early onset over Kerala on May 24—the earliest since 2009, when it arrived on May 23. 

  Boosted by strong low-pressure systems over both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, the monsoon progressed swiftly, covering Mumbai, central Maharashtra and the entire northeast by May 29.

 

However, its advance into Delhi and surrounding regions was delayed due to anti-cyclonic winds that disrupted the flow of monsoon currents.

 

Delhi pollution: Air quality remains ‘satisfactory’

 

Delhi’s air quality improved on Monday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) entering the ‘satisfactory’ category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI was recorded at 79 at 7 am on June 30, down from 85 at the same time a day earlier.

 

Air quality also improved across the NCR, with AQI levels remaining ‘satisfactory’ in most locations. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 83 at 4 pm on June 29. In Gurugram, the AQI was 53. Noida and Greater Noida recorded AQIs of 75 and 68 respectively, while Ghaziabad’s AQI stood at 73. 

 

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’ and 401–500 ‘severe’.