Delhi sees light overnight rain; dip in night temperature likely from Wednesday

While the maximum is forecast to hover between 27°C and 29°C on Tuesday before rising again, the minimum is likely to dip below 20°C from Wednesday.

Delhi continued to experience the influence of a prevailing western disturbance over northwest India, recording light overnight rainfall post midnight on Tuesday across several areas. The weather department said scattered spells of very light to light rain are likely through the day, particularly post noon, as the system gradually weakens.

People commute amid light showers near Akshardham temple in New Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/ HT Photo)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a sharp dip in minimum temperature from Wednesday, following fresh snowfall in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, officials said.

Safdarjung, the city’s base station for weather, recorded 8mm of rainfall between 2:30am and 5:30am on Tuesday. During the same period, Palam logged 6.5mm, Pitampura and Pusa 5mm, each, and Janakpuri 2mm of rainfall amid gusty winds, data showed.

The IMD classifies rainfall as ‘light’ when it is up to 15.5mm, ‘moderate’ when it is between 15.6 and 64.4mm, ‘heavy’ when it is between 64.5mm and 115.5mm, and ‘very heavy’ when it is over 115.5mm in a 24-hour window.

With this spell, Safdarjung has now logged 73.9mm of rainfall so far this month – nearly five times the monthly normal of 15.1mm. Last year, October had no rainfall.

“The western disturbance is weakening and some scattered activity is likely till Tuesday evening. From Wednesday, we will not see any rain, but partially cloudy skies. Following fresh snowfall in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, we will also see cold northwesterly winds blowing towards the plains, with the minimum to dip from Wednesday,” an IMD official said.

On Tuesday, Delhi’s maximum was 26.5°C, eight degrees below normal for this time of the year and the lowest October maximum since 26.2°C on October 17, 2023. The minimum stood 20.6°C – two degrees below normal. While the maximum is forecast to hover between 27°C and 29°C on Tuesday before rising again, the minimum is likely to dip below 20°C from Wednesday, the IMD said.

The rain also had a ‘washout’ effect, bringing down pollutants in the city. Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 70 (satisfactory) at 8am on Tuesday, down from 105 (moderate) at 4pm a day earlier.