Heavy rain, thunderstorms likely in Delhi-NCR, IMD issues red alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Delhi-NCR, warning of heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms over the next three hours. The warning comes a day after intense showers swept across the national capital, bringing down temperatures and offering some relief from worsening air pollution.

Several parts of Delhi-NCR have already reported light rainfall. The latest spell follows a change in weather conditions on Thursday, October 29, when cyclone ‘Arnab’, interacting with western disturbances, triggered scattered showers and thunderstorms across the region.

The rainfall also helped improve Delhi's air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) falling to the satisfactory category after several days of poor readings.

Delhi records coldest October day in four years

Thursday saw Delhi record its coldest October day in four years. At Safdarjung, the city's base weather station, the maximum temperature settled at 25.4 degrees Celsius, which was 5.6 degrees below the seasonal average.

The minimum temperature, however, stood at 19.2 degrees Celsius, around 3.1 degrees above normal.

Heavy showers continued late Thursday night and into Friday morning, affecting several locations, including Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station and Jamia Millia Islamia. The rainfall brought temperatures down further across the national capital.

Delhi AQI improves after rainfall

The showers also brought a marked improvement in Delhi's pollution levels. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI near India Gate was recorded at 93, placing it in the satisfactory category.

The improvement comes after the city experienced several days of poor air quality, with rainfall helping clear lingering pollution.

What is Delhi's weather forecast for the weekend?

The IMD forecast indicates that weather conditions are likely to become more stable from Saturday, October 31, with partly cloudy skies expected over the capital.

For November 1 and 2, Delhi is likely to witness mainly clear skies, suggesting a gradual shift away from the rainy conditions seen over the past two days.