Delhi under yellow alert as IMD forecasts light rain; western disturbance to keep June cooler

A fresh western disturbance is likely to impact northwest India from Wednesday, keeping cloudiness intact during the day till Friday.

Updated on: Jun 1, 2026, 09:33:04 IST

By Jasjeev Gandhiok

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Overcast skies and a cool breeze for the majority of the day on Sunday kept the mercury in check, with the maximum four degrees below normal, even as rain eluded the Capital despite a “yellow” alert.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum for the day was 35.8°C (HT)

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum for the day was 35.8°C and the minimum was 23.3°C – four degrees below normal.

The met office has forecast similar weather conditions across Delhi-NCR on Monday and Tuesday, with the possibility of isolated light rain. A fresh western disturbance (WD) is also likely to impact northwest India from Wednesday, keeping cloudiness intact during the day till Friday, with the maximum likely to be below 40°C.

Also Read: 'Super’ El Niño to hit Earth in coming months; world braces for intense weather conditions

“The start of June will not be as hot as expected, due to the lingering impact of this WD. There is also a possibility of some isolated scattered rain on June 3 and 4,” said an IMD official.

While a “yellow” alert is in place for Monday and Tuesday, no colour-coded warning has been issued for Wednesday and Thursday.

Mahesh Palawat, vice-president at Skymet, said the moisture from the current WD impacting northwest India, accompanied by a cyclonic circulation, will keep chances of rain in the next few days. “Moisture and sunlight during the afternoon are likely to cause some patchy rain across Delhi-NCR. The approaching WD from June 3 is fairly feeble, but again, will introduce some moisture,” he said.

Also Read: IMD warns of heavy rain, thunderstorms across 60 districts in UP

According to IMD, the maximum is likely to hover between 35-38°C on Monday and Tuesday, and will oscillate around 37-39°C till Saturday. The minimum is expected to gradually rise and possibly reach 29°C by Wednesday or Thursday, the weatherman said.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained “satisfactory” for a second straight day. The average air quality index (AQI) stood at 98 at 4 pm on Sunday, against 85 (satisfactory) recorded a day earlier. However, it is expected to return to the “moderate” by Monday.

Also Read: The long arm of El Nino that suppresses monsoon rains | Number Theory

It has been a tale of two halves in May, with the first half marked by a series of WDs which brought rain and kept temperatures in check. Delhi saw only one day between May 1 and 15 when the maximum exceeded 40°C. The second half, meanwhile, saw five heatwave days, with the maximum crossing 40°C. It peaked at 45.1°C on May 19; however, this latest WD has once again brought relief, cooling the city. Overall, the month’s average maximum stood at 39.5°C in May – 0.4°C below the long-period average (LPA) for May.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jasjeev Gandhiok
Jasjeev Gandhiok is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times, where he covers environment, climate change, the clean energy transition and wildlife at the National Bureau. Gandhiok has over a decade of experience in journalism and is based in Delhi. He has reported extensively on Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). This includes the region's air pollution woes, a polluted Yamuna and on urban wildlife still thriving in the region. He joined HT in October 2021. Prior to that, he had five-year stint at The Times of India in Delhi, where he also covered Delhi, with a focus on environment and wildlife. Gandhiok has covered some recent events around the Capital too, ranging from the farmers' protests, the northeast Delhi riots and the CAA-NRC protests, reporting from the ground on all of these. He also travels across the country to report on how environment and climate change impact everyday life, while also writing on endangered species. His reports in 2019 on toxic leachate from Delhi's landfills led to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking suo motu cognisance and ultimately asking the state government to start bio-mining to flatten and remove all three landfills in the capital. He also closely tracks the implementation of government policies on climate, renewable energy and environmental protection. His focus remains on impactful, public-interest journalism which explains how environmental decisions affect people's everyday lives.Read More

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