Rain Rescues Delhi Air; City Records Coldest October Day in 4 Years
Sudden rain in Delhi cleans the air to satisfactory levels and marks the coldest October day in 4 years, while haze covers Mumbai.
A sudden shift in weather has provided the national capital with a rare breath of fresh air. Overnight scattered rainfall and thunderstorms swept through Delhi-NCR, effectively washing away the lingering smog and pushing the Delhi rain air quality back into the 'satisfactory' range, ending a streak of poor air readings.
A Rare Chill: Delhi's Coldest October Day
The capital didn't just get a cleaning; it got a significant chill. On October 29, Delhi witnessed its coldest October day in four years. This unusual weather pattern was triggered by the interaction between a western disturbance and the remnants of Cyclone Arnab, which blanketed the city in dense clouds and triggered thunderstorms.
At the Safdarjung base weather station, the maximum temperature plummeted to 25.4°C, which is 5.6 degrees below the seasonal normal. This marks the lowest daytime high for October since October 8, 2022, when the temperature hit 23.4°C. Interestingly, while the days were cold, the persistent cloud cover kept the nights warmer, with the minimum temperature rising to 19.2°C, about 3.1 degrees above normal.
Pollution Washed Away
The rainfall was not uniform but hit several key areas with intensity. Jharoda Kalan recorded the highest rainfall at 49 mm. Other areas, including Jamia Millia Islamia and the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, were soaked by overnight drizzles and rain, which played a crucial role in diluting the concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere.
The impact was immediate and visible in the data. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) near India Gate dropped to 93. This shift moved the air quality from the 'Poor' category into the 'Satisfactory' bracket (51–100), providing much-needed relief to residents.
What's Next for the Capital?
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has provided a roadmap for the coming days:
- Friday, October 30: Generally cloudy skies with very light to light rain and isolated thunderstorms.
- Saturday, October 31: Weather is expected to improve with partly cloudy skies and no active warnings.
- November 1 and 2: Forecasts indicate mainly clear skies and stable conditions, with a 'green code' alert across all districts.
Haze in Mumbai and Alerts for the South
While Delhi enjoyed a fresh start, the financial capital of Mumbai faced a different morning. A thin layer of haze settled over the city skyline, particularly noticeable in the Wadala region, leading to reduced visibility. Monitoring stations across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region recorded varying levels of urban pollution.
Meanwhile, the IMD has shifted its focus toward southern peninsular India. A new weather system emerging from the Bay of Bengal is expected to bring widespread rainfall between November 2 and 4 across:
- Coastal Karnataka and South Interior Karnataka
- Kerala
- Telangana (where strong gusty winds up to 60 kmph and thundersqualls are expected)
- Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam (on alert for isolated very heavy rainfall on November 2 and 3)