Delhi residents woke up to overcast skies on Saturday morning a day after heavy rains pounded the national capital. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert, predicting heavy rains on 4 April with fluctuations expected in temperature over the next few days. According to the weather department, two successive Western disturbances are likely to affect northwest India this week with peak activity on 4 and 7 April. Hailstorm is also likely over the region.
In the wake of Western Disturbance impact, the weather office predicted fall in maximum temperature by 3-5°C till 6 April, rise by 1-2°C subsequent 2 days and fall by 2-4°C thereafter. Although there is now rainfall alert for the coming 5 days, but IMD indicated that the drop in mercury is likely to be below normal (-1.6°C to -3.0°C) to appreciably below normal (-3.1°C to -5.0°C) until 10 April.
Also Read | Earthquake tremors felt in Delhi-NCR, parts of North India
IMD in its latest weather bulletin stated, “Isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall with isolated thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph) likely over Punjab, Haryana Chandigarh & Delhi and East Rajasthan on 07th & 08th ; West Uttar Pradesh on 08th April.”
Isolated hailstorm activity and thundersquall is likely today in Delhi and other northwestern states — Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana.
Delhi weather today The Meteorological Department forecasted “partly cloudy sky” for Saturday which is expected to become generally cloudy sky towards forenoon. IMD predicted one or two spells of very light rain or drizzle accompanied with thunderstorm/lightning and gusty winds speed 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph during afternoon to evening.
Today, the maximum temperature will be below normal (-1.6°C to -3.0°C) and is expected to settle around 29°C to 31°C. Meanwhile, the minimum temperatures will be near normal (-1.5°C to 1.5°C) and will most likely hover around 18°C to 20°C.
Delhi AQI Delhi's air quality was recorded in the 'moderate' category at 6 am on 3 April, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 198, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. Out of 42 monitoring stations across the city, 24 reported ‘poor’ AQI levels while Dr Karni Singh shooting range area registered best air quality today with AQI of 93 in ‘satisfactory’ category.