Rain brings little relief as Delhi logs season’s highest temperature at 41°C

According to the IMD’s data, all weather stations in the city on Friday saw the most weather activity between 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

What began as another hot, sunny day took a turn on Friday afternoon, with cloudy skies and light rain sweeping across Delhi. The brief spell, however, did little to ease the heat, as the city recorded its hottest day of the year so far, with a maximum temperature of 41°C. Air quality also worsened, remaining in the “poor” category for the third consecutive day.

Delhi weather update on April 18. (file photo)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast a “partly cloudy sky, very light to light rain accompanied with thunderstorm/lightning and gusty winds (speed 30-40 kmph) towards afternoon/evening” for Friday.

As cloudy skies persisted, a yellow alert was issued, with the IMD stating in the evening that “moderate rain accompanied with thunderstorm/lightning and gusty winds of 40 to 60 kmph” was observed at most places over Delhi.

According to the IMD’s data, all weather stations in the city saw the most weather activity between 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Station-wise data showed that during that time period, Palam recorded the most rainfall at 16 mm, followed by Safdarjung at 10.4mm. Both stations had recorded only trace amounts of rainfall earlier in the day, along with Lodhi Road and Aryanagar.

The Mayur Vihar station recorded 6.5mm of rainfall from 5:30 - 8:30 pm, Janakpuri recorded 4mm, and Pitampura recorded 0.5mm; none of these stations had recorded rainfall earlier in the day. The ridge station recorded 0.2mm of rainfall, only between 2:30pm and 5:30pm, while the Najafgarh station did not receive any rainfall throughout the day.

Despite rain, the maximum temperature at 41°C was 4.2°C above normal, while the minimum temperature at 24°C was 2.4°C above normal for this time of the year.

Experts said there was some activity over Delhi due to a cyclonic circulation over northwestern Rajasthan and adjoining areas of Haryana. “There is also a trough extending up to Delhi, and humid winds from the Arabian Sea are feeding moisture, causing pre-monsoon activities such as rain along with dust and thunderstorms,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president, Skymet.

“However, this did not lead to a dip in temperature as pre-monsoon activities usually happen in the late afternoon, and the temperature peaks before that period. These rains need to last for long periods in order to reduce temperature, and since we are expecting the weather system to clear by tomorrow as it moves towards western parts of Uttarakhand, the maximum temperature will continue rising, while the minimum temperature may reduce,” he said.

The IMD forecast for the coming week indicates similar conditions, with the mercury likely to touch 42°C over the weekend. It may dip to 39-41°C early next week before rising again. The minimum temperature is expected to marginally decrease to 20–22°C, fluctuating between 20-24°C.

Delhi weather today

The temperature in Delhi today, on April 18, is 37.91 °C. The day's forecast indicates a minimum and maximum temperature of 22.05 °C and 40.65 °C, respectively. The relative humidity is 13% and the wind speed is 13 km/h. The sun rose at 05:52 AM and will set at 06:48 PM.

Tomorrow, on Sunday, April 19, 2026, Delhi is predicted to experience a minimum and maximum temperature of 31.75 °C and 41.17 °C, respectively. Tomorrow humidity levels will be at 11%.

With temperatures ranging between 22.05 °C and 40.65 °C, prepare for a hot day and plan outdoor activities accordingly. If you are sensitive to heat, take note of the weather forecast and consider appropriate attire and activities suitable for the prevailing weather.

Delhi AQI today

The AQI in Delhi today stands at 154.0, indicating moderate air quality in the city. Children and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor activity. Being aware of the AQI helps one make informed decisions regarding one's overall well-being while planning the day’s activities.

Weather and AQI predictions in Delhi for next 7 days:

Date	Temperature (°C)	Sky
April 19, 2026	37.91	Broken clouds
April 20, 2026	38.15	Overcast clouds
April 21, 2026	37.81	Sky is clear
April 22, 2026	38.90	Sky is clear
April 23, 2026	39.36	Sky is clear
April 24, 2026	40.32	Scattered clouds
April 25, 2026	40.87	Sky is clear

Weather in other cities today

City	Temperature (°C)	Sky
Mumbai	31.94 °C	Overcast clouds
Kolkata	34.27 °C	Broken clouds
Chennai	31.7 °C	Overcast clouds
Bengaluru	32.5 °C	Broken clouds
Hyderabad	34.71 °C	Broken clouds
Ahmedabad	35.88 °C	Sky is clear
Delhi	37.91 °C	Broken clouds

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