Light rain, thunderstorm hit Delhi-NCR; mercury dips sharply

The residents of Delhi woke up to cool and breezy weather on Monday, a day after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) declared that the Southwest Monsoon had covered the entire country.

In a much-needed relief from the heat, the city recorded a maximum and minimum temperature of 30.6 and 24 degrees Celsius, respectively, with the air quality remaining in the ‘Satisfactory’ category, with an AQI of 65, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

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Safdarjung, the city’s base observatory, recorded 14 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours until 8:30 am on Monday. Palam and Lodi Road logged 16.2 mm and 17.3 mm of rainfall, respectively, during the same period.

As per the IMD’s three-hourly rainfall data, Najafgarh saw the highest spell at 5.5 mm between 2.30 a.m. and 5.30 am on Monday (June 30), followed by Safdarjung at 4.4 mm rainfall and Palam, Pusa, and Narela at 1 mm rain each.

The rainfall led to a notable drop in day temperatures on Monday (June 29). According to the IMD, the minimum temperature recorded at 8.30 am at Safdarjung station was 24 degrees Celsius, 3.9 notches below the season’s average.

The air quality improved slightly, though the Air Quality Index (AQI) continued to stay in the ‘satisfactory’ category. The AQI recorded was 73 at 9 am on Monday (June 30), against 83 on Sunday evening.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good,’ 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory,’ 101 and 200 ‘moderate,’ 201 and 300 ‘poor,’ 301 and 400 ‘very poor,’ and 401 and 500 ‘severe.’

The IMD had issued a nowcast warning for Monday morning, forecasting light rain and thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds with speeds up to 30-40 kilometers per hour across all four sectors of Delhi—northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast. Parts of NCR, including Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurgaon, and Faridabad, also experienced similar conditions.

The Met department has issued a yellow alert for most of Delhi and NCR, while certain parts like northwest Delhi and sections of NCR such as Jhajjar, Bhiwani, and Panipat were under the green zone.

More light to moderate showers are likely in parts of the region over the next 24 hours, as per IMD officials, who also advised residents to avoid open spaces during thunderstorms and remain alert to possible waterlogging in low-lying areas.