NEW DELHI: Several parts of Delhi-NCR witnessed rain and overcast skies on Friday, with the Met department issuing a yellow alert for rain and thunderstorms. Persistent cloud cover and intermittent rainfall provided relief to the city, which had been experiencing warmer conditions in recent days. So far, till March 19, Safdarjung has recorded 9.4 mm of average rainfall against a normal monthly average of 12.6 mm. The last time March saw higher rainfall was in 2023, when the monthly total reached 50.4 mm, highlighting the intensity of the current spell. Rainfall was recorded at multiple stations across the city, including Safdarjung (8.2 mm), Palam (6.2 mm), Lodhi Road (8.2 mm), Ridge (8.6 mm), and Ayanagar (7.2 mm) till 8.30 am. Other stations such as Pitampura (5.5 mm), Pusa (11.0 mm), Mayur Vihar (3.0 mm), and Janakpuri (12.5 mm) also recorded showers of varying intensity. Light rainfall was observed in parts of Delhi on Wednesday as well. At Safdarjung, a trace of rainfall was recorded between 8.30 am and 11.30 am, while Ayanagar recorded relatively higher rainfall of 0.5 mm till 2.30 pm and 0.7 mm by 5.30 pm. Mayur Vihar recorded 3.0 mm of precipitation. Maximum temperatures across the city remained below normal on Thursday. Safdarjung and Lodhi Road recorded 26.8°C, 4.5 and 3.2 degrees below normal, respectively. Ridge recorded 26.5°C, 5.3 degrees below normal, while Palam and Ayanagar recorded 25.3°C and 25.2°C, 6.3 and 6.8 degrees below normal. Minimum temperatures at night were relatively warmer at some stations. Safdarjung recorded 17.6°C, 1.1 degrees above normal; Palam and Ridge recorded 17.0°C, 0.6 degrees above normal and 0.7 degrees below normal, respectively; Lodhi Road recorded 17.7°C, 2.7 degrees above normal; and Ayanagar recorded 18.2°C, 2.0 degrees above normal. Earlier, the IMD had predicted “hailstorm and thunderstorm with moderate rainfall and lightning (40–50 kmph gusty winds)” over Delhi, Noida, Dadri, and Greater Noida. Similar conditions are expected to continue on Friday, with light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds likely over parts of Delhi-NCR.“Western disturbance is currently positioned over North Pakistan and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir, which is why the western Himalayan regions are witnessing heavy rainfall. At the same time, an induced cyclonic circulation over Haryana is leading to rainfall across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab,” said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet.He said that although earlier forecasts indicated stronger rainfall activity, the system is now moving towards the eastern parts of the country, and conditions are likely to remain similar to what is being experienced at present.“The pre-monsoon activity has also arrived earlier than usual. Typically, it begins towards the end of March, but this time it has been advanced because the first 10 days of March recorded unusually high temperatures, and the western disturbance has been more intense. As a result, the pre-monsoon phase has been preponed,” Palawat said. Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) improved to 137 on Friday, falling in the “moderate” category, up from “poor” the previous day. Rainfall and strong winds helped disperse pollutants, contributing to the improvement. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 to 100 “satisfactory”, 101 to 200 “moderate”, 201 to 300 “poor”, 301 to 400 “very poor”, and 401 to 500 “severe”.(With Agecncy Inputs)
