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The IMD has forecast a cloudy sky with the possibility of one or two spells of very light to light rain in Delhi today, accompanied by thunderstorms at evening or night
Delhi saw a marked increase in temperatures over the last few days. (PTI Image)
Delhi residents woke up to shallow fog in the national capital in the early hours of Wednesday, affecting some train operations in the morning. However, most of the trains were running on time, as temperatures remained above normal in Delhi.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature in the capital settled at 24 degrees Celsius as of Tuesday, 3.7 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 10.6 degrees Celsius, 3.1 degrees above normal.
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The IMD has forecast a cloudy sky with the possibility of one or two spells of very light to light rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, on Wednesday evening and at night. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 22 degrees Celsius and 11 degrees Celsius respectively.
This came after Delhi recorded its warmest January in six years, with the maximum temperature reaching an unprecedented 26.1 degrees Celsius. The IMD attributed the unusual warmth to a change in wind pattern caused by a western disturbance.
Rain Expected This Week
The weather agency has clarified that winter is here to stay, at least for another week in January, with rain expected in Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir from Wednesday.
The Met Department says a western disturbance is currently affecting North India. Winds originating from the Mediterranean Sea are set to bring rain to several Indian states on January 22 and 23, which may also lead to snowfall in the valleys of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Snowfall in these mountainous regions is expected to intensify the cold in the plains.
The next seven days are expected to have varied weather patterns. Moderate fog at most places is likely in the morning with a spell of light rain and wind speed of 10 kmph on some days.
AQI In Delhi
The air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category with an AQI of 263, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Several cities reported alarming AQI levels including Anand Vihar (312), Bawana (316), Dwarka (312), ITO (313), Mundka (322), RK Puram (278) and Rohini (301) as of 7 am on Wednesday.
Residents of Delhi have been left confused due to anti-pollution restrictions being enforced, withdrawn and then enforced again. The restrictions under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) were revoked in Delhi on January 17 following a dip in the air quality, but the AQI rose earlier this week.