Delhi’s max temperature dips to 26°C after rain, strong winds

Delhi also breathed significantly cleaner air on Tuesday, when the AQI improved to 89 (in the “satisfactory” zone), from 207 (“poor”) a day ago

Rain and strong winds on Monday night and Tuesday morning pushed Delhi’s maximum temperature down seven degrees below normal, giving the Capital its first proper tryst with the day-time chill this season.

Blue sky over Kartavya Path in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)

The Capital on Tuesday clocked a maximum temperature of just 26.2°C, more than four degrees below Monday’s 30.5°C, and more than eight lower than 34.6°C on Sunday.

Delhi also breathed significantly cleaner air on Tuesday, when the air quality index (AQI) improved to 89 (in the “satisfactory” zone), from 207 (“poor”) a day ago. The Capital’s air quality was poor for five straight days before the rains, showed data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

However, officials warned, the downturn in pollution will be temporary, with levels likely to springboard to even more toxic levels over the next few weeks.

Delhi also recorded a minimum temperature of 17.2°C on Tuesday, two degrees below normal.

Temperatures in the city were helped by gusty winds of speeds up to 55kmph, said IMD officials.

The minimum is now likely to remain below 20°C for the rest of the year, due to the impact of the cold northwesterly winds.

The gusty winds and lightning also impacted flight operations at the Delhi airport between 7pm to 11pm on Monday, with 13 flights being diverted to neighbouring airports.