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The week has started with pleasant weather and great relief for the people of Delhi-NCR. Amidst the scorching heat that has been going on for the last several days and the hazy layer covering the sky, heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning in many areas of the national capital has changed the climate of the entire city. There were heavy showers in Lutyens Delhi, ITO, Connaught Place, Akshardham, Anand Vihar, Rohini and many areas of South Delhi, due to which a significant drop in temperature was recorded. Due to this rain, the dust particles and fine particles of pollution (PM10 and PM2.5) present in the air have been washed away, due to which there has been a direct improvement in the Air Quality Index (AQI). According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the morning AQI in Anand Vihar area, considered the most sensitive and polluted area of Delhi, improved to around 116, which falls in the ‘Moderate’ category. This rain has acted as a natural air purifier for Delhi, which is on the verge of becoming a gas chamber since mid-October every year.
Due to rain and cloud movement, the maximum and minimum temperatures of Delhi have declined. Gusty Winds have given a feeling of relief to the people of Delhi who are suffering from humidity and stickiness during the day. According to the Meteorological Department, the maximum temperature in the capital has dropped by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius below normal and is being recorded around 32 to 34 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature has come down to the range of 20 to 22 degrees Celsius. Light cold winds blowing in the morning and late evening have given a clear indication that the pink cold has officially knocked in Delhi. However, due to sudden torrential rains, some low-lying areas including Dhaula Kuan, ITO, Ring Road and Ashram witnessed waterlogging on roads and slow traffic flow during morning peak hours, causing some inconvenience to office-going commuters.
According to meteorologists, an active Western Disturbance and cyclonic circulation formed in the upper atmosphere are the main reasons behind this unseasonal rain and strong winds. Along with this, due to the collision of moisture-laden winds coming from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, a dense circle of clouds formed over the plains of North India – Haryana, Punjab, Western Uttar Pradesh and Delhi-NCR. The wind speed reached 30 to 40 kilometers per hour, which rapidly dispersed the aerosols and polluting gases present in the atmosphere. Environmental experts believe that if the wind speed remains high for the next few days, the effect of stubble smoke and local emissions will not immediately dominate Delhi’s air.
According to the seven-day forecast released by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the weather in Delhi and surrounding satellite cities (Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad) is going to be mixed in the coming days:
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Day 1 and 2 (Partial clouds and light showers): The sky over Delhi will remain partly cloudy during October 12 and 13. There will be a possibility of light drizzle or sporadic rain along with thunder in some areas. The day temperature will be around 32 to 33 degrees Celsius and the night temperature will be around 21 degrees Celsius.
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Day 3 and 4 (weather will be clear and dry): From 14th and 15th October, rain activities will reduce and the sky will gradually start clearing. Sunshine may cause a slight rise in the day’s maximum temperature, which may reach 34 to 35 degrees Celsius. However, night temperatures will continue to drop due to the influence of north-westerly dry winds.
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Day 5 and 6 (coolness will increase at night): Light fog or mist may be seen in the morning around 16th and 17th October. The minimum night temperature is expected to drop to 19 to 20 degrees Celsius, which will lead to switching off of fans and ACs at night and early morning. The weather will remain completely pleasant and sunny during the day.
Environmental experts say that this improvement in AQI due to rain is temporary relief. As long as the rains continue and strong winds blow, the AQI of Delhi-NCR will remain in the ‘Satisfactory’ to ‘Moderate’ category. But as soon as the weather becomes completely dry after October 14-15, the temperature drops further and the wind speed calms down, the local pollution particles will start settling down due to moisture in the air. Additionally, the AQI may again move towards ‘Poor’ category depending on the wind direction due to increase in incidents of stubble burning in the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana. However, this heavy rain during the festive season has provided a pleasant opportunity to the citizens of Delhi to get relief from the heat as well as to breathe in the fresh and clean air.