Rain brings Delhi temp down; AQI improves

Overnight rains and cloudy conditions on Saturday night kept temperatures in Delhi below the seasonal average, with the minimum temperature second-lowest for September since 2001, as per data by the India Meteorological Department (IMD)

Overnight rains and cloudy conditions on Saturday night kept temperatures in Delhi below the seasonal average, with the minimum temperature second-lowest for September since 2001, as per data by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The rain also brought a sharp improvement in the air quality.

Visitors enjoy pleasant weather at the Red Fort on Sunday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT)

The minimum temperature was recorded at 21°C, 2.9 degrees below normal, and only marginal higher than 20.8°C logged on September 6, 2008. This was the lowest September minimum after 2000, when the minimum was logged at 20.6 on September 29.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 53 — “satisfactory” category — on Sunday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). It was the second-lowest AQI recorded in the Capital this year, after 48 on July 9.

The city received a few spells of rain from Saturday evening into the early hours of Sunday. Safdarjung recorded 4.9mm of rain in the 24 hours till 8.30am, while the Ridge received 6.8mm, Lodi Road 5.2mm, Palam 3.7mm and Ayanagar 4mm. The IMD’s three-hourly observations show that the heaviest spell at Safdarjung was 3.2mm between 8.30pm and 11.30pm on Saturday, followed by 0.9mm between 11.30pm and 2.30am.

The maximum temperature at Safdarjung was 30.6°C, which was 3.7 degrees below normal. The IMD said maximum temperatures across Delhi had fallen by 3-4°C and minimum temperatures by 1-2°C over the preceding 24 hours. “The minimum temperatures are markedly below normal at isolated places,” the weather department said in its Sunday bulletin.

For Monday, the IMD has forecast a generally cloudy sky, with a spell of very light to light rain possible at a few places towards afternoon and evening. The maximum temperature is expected to remain between 30°C and 32°C with the minimum in the 20-22°C range.

By September 29, the sky is expected to be mainly clear, with temperatures rising to 22-24°C and 32-34°C. On September 30, mainly clear conditions are forecast, with the maximum likely to reach 33-35°C and the minimum 22-24°C.

An IMD official said the current weather conditions were linked to the well-marked low-pressure area over northern parts of central Uttar Pradesh, which is expected to move north-northwestwards and weaken gradually by next week.