Yellow alert in Delhi today as IMD predicts rainfall, gusty winds; AQI improves

IMD has issued a yellow alert for Friday and light to moderate precipitation over the national capital over the next few days.

Light rain is expected over Delhi due to a western disturbance, even as the winter chill has eased over the past few days, with Thursday recording the hottest January day in seven years with a maximum temperature of 27.1 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Friday and light to moderate precipitation over the national capital over the next few days, HT reported earlier.

The western disturbance is likely to cause multiple spells of light to moderate spells of continuous snowfall throughout Friday, officials to HT.

Rain in Delhi

Issuing a yellow alert for Friday, the IMD said that the sky over Delhi-NCR will remain generally cloudy. “Very light to light rain accompanied with thunderstorm/lightning and gusty winds (speed 30–40 kmph). Shallow to moderate fog during morning hours,” it said in its bulletin.

“One or two spells of light rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of speed 30-40 kmph are likely to occur during the early to forenoon hours on Friday. Another spell of very light to light rain is probably towards the afternoon and evening,” an IMD official said.

The IMD has predicted the influence of another consecutive western disturbance over northwest India from January 26 to 28, which, it said, is likely to lead to an increase in the minimum temperature.

Improvement in air quality

Delhi’s air quality also showed marginal improvement on Thursday with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 313 (very poor) recorded at 8am on Thursday, compared to 330 (very bad) recorded at 4pm on Wednesday. Wind speeds are expected to increase on Friday which are expected to disperse the pollutants and improve the air quality in the national capital.

The uptick in Delhi’s air quality prompted the sub-committee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to repeal Stage III curbs across Delhi–NCR with immediate effect on Thursday (January 22).

The panel observed that the AQI of Delhi has been improving owing to favorable meteorological conditions and recorded as 322 on Thursday, PTI reported. Forecast by IMD/IITM indicates that AQI is likely to remain in the “moderate” to “poor” category in coming days. Therefore, keeping in view the disruptive nature of restrictions under Stage-III of extant GRAP impacting a large number of stakeholders and public, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GARP today unanimously decided to revoke all actions under Stage-III of the extant schedule of GRAP in the entire NCR, with immediate effect.

Western disturbances over north India

The IMD has predicted severe weather with heavy rain, hail storm and thunderstorms (with gusty winds) over parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

Hailstorm and thunderstorms are predicted in parts of Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an “Orange Nowcast Warning” for precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds in several areas of Delhi on Friday morning. Shallow fog has also been predicted during the morning hours.

The weather agency, in a tweet, said several areas such as Dwarka, Rajouri Garden, Nazafgarh and Rohini will be impacted.

In the National Capital Region, the weather agency has forecast rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds in Bahadurgarh. The same forecast warning has been issued for Haryana’s Rohtak, Jhajjar, Farukhnagar, Mahendargarh, and Narnaul, and Rajasthan’s Kotputli.

Delhi AQI remains ‘very poor’

Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Friday morning amidst hopes of improvement in air pollution levels with the thunderstorm and rain forecast.

The overall 24-hour average AQI standing at 313, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). At 7 AM, the AQI was recorded to be 312.

Parts of Delhi recorded light rainfall on Friday morning, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of further showers due to an active western disturbance. The city could experience one or two spells of light rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph during the early to forenoon hours, officials said.

Light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds is expected in Delhi on Friday. According to the forecast by the India Meteorological Departmen t (IMD), an ongoing western disturbance will impact the region. Following the rainfall, Delhi’s AQI is also expected to improve. On Thursday, the overall 24-hour average AQI stood at 313, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

As per IMD, one or two spells of light rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph is likely during the early morning to foreenoon hours on Friday.

Another spell of very light to light rain is probably towards the afternoon or evening, along with shallow fog during morning hours, with a yellow alert issued for thunderstorms and rain.

Delhi NCR Rain Alert

According to IMD, light to moderate snowfall would take place in Delhi’s Narela, Bawana, Alipur, Burari, Kanjhawala, Rohini, Bawana, Badli, Azadpur, Model Town, Pitampura, Mundka, Paschim Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Rajouri Garden, Jafarpur, Nazafgarh, Dwarka.

Meanwhile,Delhi on Thursday witnessed its warmest January day in seven years. According to the India Meteorological Department, the Safdarjung observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 27.1 degrees Fahrenheit.

The last time the city recorded a higher maximum temperature in January was in 2019, when the mercury had touched 28.7 degrees Fahrenheit on January 21.

This month’s second hottest day was recorded on January 19, when the maximum temperature stood at 26.7 degrees Celsius.

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