Delhi weather update: Rain, thunderstorms expected today, AQI at 131

Delhi residents woke up to pleasant weather on Monday morning as the city continues to enjoy a spell of relief from the scorching heat after light rain over the past week. 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 Monday, forecasting rain and thunderstorms. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 38 degrees Celsius and 24 degrees Celsius, respectively. Strong surface winds reaching speeds of 30–40 kmph are 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 expected 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, the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 40 degrees Celsius from May 14 to 17. 

 

Air quality remains in ‘moderate’ category

 

Air quality in Delhi remained in the ‘moderate’ category on Monday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 131 at 7 am, compared to 173 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 158 at 4 pm on May 11. In Gurugram, the AQI dropped to 89, placing it in the ‘satisfactory’ category. Noida and Greater Noida recorded AQIs of 123 and 116, respectively, while Ghaziabad’s AQI stood at 125. 

 

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’.