Multiple spells of rain were expected in Delhi on Friday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a yellow alert, indicating potentially disruptive weather, after the Capital received over half of a month’s rainfall in just 2.25 days this week.
An Air Quality Index (AQI) of 55 (satisfactory) was recorded at 10:05am on Friday, a day after Delhi had the cleanest air in nearly three years on Thursday. The 24-hour average AQI was 48 (good) on Thursday, thanks to continuous showers. Delhi last recorded a “good” air day on September 10, 2023.
Mayur Vihar logged the maximum rainfall of 43mm between 8:30am (Thursday) and 8:30am (Friday), followed by Lodi Road (33.7mm), Safdarjung (33.6mm), and Ridge (25.9mm). Pusa recorded 11.5mm, Palam, Ayanagar, Jafarpur, Chhatarpur, Janakpuri, Narayana, and Najafgarh between 1mm to 4.5mm of rain during the same period.
The IMD categorises rainfall up to 15.5mm as light, between 15.6mm and 64.4 mm as moderate, between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm as heavy, and between 115.6 to 204.4 as very heavy. The city has recorded 137.72mm of rain so far in July. It is over half of the normal rain for the month (209.7mm).
The IMD said that very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms was expected on Friday forenoon or afternoon. It added that no rain was likely between Sunday and Thursday.
{{/usCountry}}The IMD said that very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms was expected on Friday forenoon or afternoon. It added that no rain was likely between Sunday and Thursday.
{{/usCountry}}Heavy showers on Wednesday and Thursday caused at least four deaths in the Delhi-National Capital Region and triggered widespread waterlogging and traffic snarls.
A reduction in rainfall since then is attributed to the monsoon trough moving away from Delhi. “An increase in rainfall was due to a well-marked low-pressure area over central India moving upward, which caused the monsoon trough to shift northward. Rainfall is likely to decrease after this week, as the monsoon trough will move north of its normal position, to the foothills of Himachal Pradesh,” said independent meteorological organisation IndiaMetSky founder Ashwary Tiwari.
The monsoon covered the entire country on Thursday. This is the most delayed full coverage since 2021 as torrential rains damaged critical infrastructure, flooded roads, and triggered landslides across multiple states.