Rain may disrupt Dussehra festivities in Delhi

Dussehra celebrations may be impacted this year, with the IMD forecasting rains over Delhi from tomorrow onwards. Drizzle activity is expected tomorrow, while light rains will occur on Thursday and light to moderate showers on Friday

Dussehra celebrations on Thursday may be impacted in parts of the Capital this year, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting drizzle activity in several areas from Wednesday night. While the intensity of rainfall will be low on Wednesday, it is expected to pick up on Thursday and Friday and continue till October 9, forecasts show.

India Meteorological Department has forecast rain on Wednesday (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

On Tuesday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 35.1 degrees Celsius, which is one degree above normal for this time of year, and a minimum temperature of 22.1 degrees Celsius, which is around the normal mark. Tuesday also saw the Lodhi Road observatory record a minimum temperature of 19.4 degrees Celsius—the first time any station in Delhi recorded a temperature below the 20-degree mark this season.

Officials forecast a drop in maximum temperature over the next three days due to the rain, while the minimum temperature will range between 20-22 degrees Celsius. Delhi’s maximum temperature is expected to be around 34 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, and drop down to around 30 degrees Celsius on Thursday. On Friday, it will drop further to around 29 degrees Celsius, officials said.

“Delhi and other parts of northwest India will see rain commence from Wednesday night as a low pressure area advances towards Madhya Pradesh and northwest India from the Bay of Bengal. Moisture-laden easterly winds will blow over the region as the weather system gets closer. Only drizzle activity may occur in a few places on Wednesday night, while light rain is expected on Thursday and Friday. Saturday and Sunday will again see a drop in rain activity, with isolated drizzle spells,” a met official said.

Meanwhile, air quality in the Capital deteriorated slightly in the last 24 hours, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 150 (moderate) on the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily 4pm bulletin. Delhi’s AQI reading was 128 (moderate) on Monday.

An AQI reading between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

However, forecasts by the Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi, developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), show the AQI reading is expected to improve in the next three days, owing to the rain.

“The overall air quality over Delhi is likely to remain in the ‘moderate’ category on October 4 and 5. It will then hover between the ‘moderate’ and ‘satisfactory’ categories on October 6. It is expected to improve further to the ‘satisfactory’ category by October 7,” said the forecast issued on Tuesday.