Rain, storms likely in Delhi today; no heatwave for 7 days, AQI 'moderate'

Delhi weather today: IMD has issued a are yellow alert for the region with light rain, thunderstorms, and lightning expected in parts of the city; residents are advised to stay weather-aware

Delhi residents woke up to cooler, more pleasant weather on Tuesday with light winds making the morning comfortable. The sky remained cloudy offering respite from the heat and humidity. A drop in temperatures was also seen across several parts of the city

 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert, forecasting more rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds.

Today's weather forecast for Delhi

IMD has issued a 'yellow' alert for the region. Light rain, thunderstorms, and lightning are expected in parts of the city. Gusty winds with speeds of 40-50 kmph, temporarily reaching up to 60 kmph, may also occur during the day. The weather is also expected to turn stormy. The met department also issued a safety advisory for the residents. 

 

Delhi's weather forecast for this week

From June 5 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 June 5 and 8, and the minimum is expected to gradually increase to 26 to 28 degrees Celsius. Despite the warming trend, the 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.

What triggered the sudden rains

According to the IMD, the rain spell was caused by a combination of weather systems. These include a Western Disturbance marked by a cyclonic circulation over northern Pakistan in the mid-tropospheric levels, another cyclonic circulation over Haryana at lower levels, and a continuous inflow of moisture from the Arabian Sea. The department said other dynamic and thermodynamic factors also contributed to the storm’s development. 

Delhi’s air quality in the 'moderate' category

Air quality in Delhi improved to the ‘moderate’ category on Tuesday morning following widespread rain across Delhi-NCR. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 138 at 8 am on June 3, compared to 166 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 158 at 4 pm on June 2. In Gurugram, the AQI was 138. Noida and Greater Noida recorded AQIs of 144 and 104, respectively, while Ghaziabad’s AQI stood at 109.

 

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’.