Residents of Delhi-NCR got a huge relief from the heat and humidity on Monday morning as the region saw light to moderate rainfall overnight into the morning, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) placing the city under an yellow alert.
Meanwhile, a yellow alert is also in place for July 7 for Noida, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad, with IMD predicting a generally cloudy sky and light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.
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The weather agency forecasted “light to moderate rain,” indicating that the maximum temperature will be below the average by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius. On July 7, Delhi’s maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be between 32 and 34 degrees Celsius and 25 to 27 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Although the monsoon reached Delhi earlier than expected, the region saw only sporadic rainfall for almost ten days. Nonetheless, weather conditions have now converged to deliver significant rainfall throughout Delhi and NCR.
Huge relief from Pollution and Heatwave
The morning rainfall also helped improve air quality. The Air Quality Index of the national capital has stayed in the ‘satisfactory’ range for almost two weeks. This is the cleanest spell documented to date this year. The Central Pollution Control Board reported that the AQI at 4 pm yesterday was 76.
The rainfall has greatly affected the temperature in the city. The temperatures significantly decreased, bringing relief from the sweltering heat that had held Delhi for the last several days. Numerous regions indicated a rapid drop in temperatures by several degrees Celsius in a brief timeframe.
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The trend of cleaner air started on June 26, when the AQI fell from 134 to 94 the previous day, moving from the ‘moderate’ to ‘satisfactory’ range. Since that time, Delhi’s air has repeatedly remained under the 100 threshold, indicating a notable brief relief from typical pollution levels.
Weather Forecast for next few days
The prediction for the next few days indicates persistent rain along with fluctuating temperatures. On July 8, there will be scattered rain, with temperatures hitting 38.2°C, making it the hottest day of the week.
The meteorological department reports that the monsoon axis has moved northward, establishing conditions conducive to at least two more substantial rainfall events in the upcoming four days.
The upcoming days will see a blend of moderate rainfall and intermittent clear periods. Temperatures are expected to vary from 28°C to 38°C over the course of the week.
The IMD has not released any significant weather alerts for the remainder of the week, but the yellow alert is still in effect for Monday. Light rain and cooler-than-average temperatures are predicted to persist throughout the week. The department has eliminated the possibility of any heatwave conditions for the upcoming week.
