Light Rain in Delhi After Season’s Warmest Day, Air Quality Remains Poor

Light rain greets Delhi after a notably warm Tuesday

Residents in Delhi woke up to light rain on Wednesday, a shift in conditions that came immediately after the city recorded its hottest day of the year so far. On Tuesday, the maximum temperature climbed to 30.9 degrees Celsius, marking an unusually warm spell for mid-February. The change to cloudy skies and light precipitation offered a different start to the day, but it did not immediately resolve another persistent concern: air quality.

At 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 228, placing it in the ‘poor’ category. A day earlier, the AQI stood at 259, also in the ‘poor’ range, according to official data. The combination of unseasonal warmth followed by light rain and gusty winds shaped the day’s outlook, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert and detailed the possibility of multiple brief spells of rain and thunderstorms at isolated places.

AQI remains ‘poor’, with several pockets reporting higher readings

While the overall city AQI was in the ‘poor’ category on Wednesday morning, readings from different monitoring stations showed that pollution levels varied widely across neighbourhoods. Several locations recorded AQI levels that remained elevated, indicating that air-quality conditions were still a concern in many parts of the capital.

According to data available on Wednesday, some of the higher AQI readings included Wazirpur at 336, Mundka at 309, and Rohini at 306. Other areas also reported high levels, such as Shadipur at 296, Sonia Vihar at 294, Chandni Chowk at 286, Anand Vihar at 285, and Vivek Vihar at 284. Narela recorded 283, Burari Crossing 275, and Ashok Vihar 264.

Several stations reported comparatively lower—but still notable—readings. Okhla Phase-2 registered 242, DTU recorded 249, and R.K. Puram stood at 221. ITO was recorded at 180, while Dwarka Sector 8 and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium each registered 187. Pusa recorded 152. IGI Airport (T3) was listed as under monitoring.

The spread of readings highlights how air quality can differ significantly across the city at the same time, even when the overall AQI category for Delhi remains unchanged. On Tuesday as well, the city’s AQI was recorded at 259, keeping it in the ‘poor’ bracket.

IMD forecast: light rain, gusty winds, and a yellow alert

The IMD predicted very light to light rainfall for Wednesday, along with gusty winds expected during the afternoon. Wind speeds were forecast to range between 30 and 40 kilometres per hour. Temperatures were also expected to ease compared with Tuesday’s peak, with the maximum and minimum likely to hover around 27 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Alongside the general rainfall forecast, the IMD issued a yellow alert for Delhi and indicated that cloudy skies were likely for the day. The department outlined the possibility of a spell of very light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places during the morning hours. It also suggested another spell of very light to light rain, again with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places, towards the forenoon. Gusty winds in the 30–40 kmph range were also expected during this period. A further spell of very light rain was anticipated at isolated places during the afternoon.

These forecasts point to a day defined less by continuous rain and more by intermittent, localized activity—brief showers and occasional thunderstorm conditions—along with winds that could influence how the weather feels on the ground.

Unusual mid-February warmth sets the backdrop

Wednesday’s light rain followed a period of unusual warmth for mid-February in Delhi. The IMD noted that Monday (February 16) recorded the highest temperature of the season so far, and Tuesday (February 17) saw the mercury rise further to 30.9 degrees Celsius.

This figure was around 6.5 degrees Celsius above the normal average for this time of year, underscoring how atypical the warmth has been. The conditions placed Tuesday among the warmest February days in recent weeks, according to the weather narrative provided alongside the forecast. Against this backdrop, the arrival of clouds and light rain on Wednesday represented a notable shift, even if temperatures were still expected to remain relatively mild.

Showers expected beyond Delhi across neighbouring regions

The weather system influencing Delhi was not expected to remain confined to the capital. The IMD said scattered showers were likely to extend into parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan over the next few hours. This suggested that the same broader pattern responsible for Delhi’s cloud cover and rain could also affect nearby areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) and beyond.

For Noida, the IMD forecast generally cloudy skies with light rain on Wednesday. Temperatures there were expected to remain around 26 degrees Celsius for the maximum and 11 degrees Celsius for the minimum. The outlook for the next few days in the region indicated mainly clear skies.

Gurugram was also expected to see partly cloudy skies, with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers likely during the day. The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city were forecast to hover around 28 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees Celsius, respectively. Clear skies were predicted for the coming few days in Gurugram as well.

Locations listed for likely rainfall in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan

In addition to the broader regional outlook, the IMD provided detailed, short-term guidance on places where light rainfall was very likely over parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan over the next two hours. The list included multiple towns and localities across the three states.

• Haryana (light rainfall very likely): Sonipat, Kharkhoda, Charkhi Dadri, Mattanhail, Jhajjar, Farukhnagar, Kosali, Mahendargarh, Sohna, Rewari, Palwal, Narnaul, Bawal, Nuh, Aurangabad, Hodal
• Uttar Pradesh (light rainfall very likely): Bagpat, Khekra, Modinagar, Pilakhua
• Rajasthan (light rainfall very likely): Bhiwari, Tizara, Khairthal, Alwar, Viratnagar, Nagar, Laxmangarh, Rajgarh

The IMD also said very light rainfall or drizzle was likely in additional areas across the same states.

• Haryana (very light rainfall/drizzle likely): Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Narwana, Karnal, Fatehabad, Assandh, Safidon, Barwala, Jind, Panipat, Adampur, Gohana, Gannaur, Hansi, Tosham, Rohtak
• Uttar Pradesh (very light rainfall/drizzle likely): Shamli, Kandhla, Khatauli, Sakoti Tanda, Hastinapur, Baraut, Daurala, Meerut, Kithor, Garhmukteshwar, Hapur, Gulaoti, Siyana, Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar, Khurja, Jattari, Nandgaon, Barsana
• Rajasthan (very light rainfall/drizzle likely): Kotputli, Deeg

What the day’s mix of weather and air quality means for residents

Delhi’s Wednesday forecast combined several elements: light rain, the possibility of isolated thunderstorms and lightning, and gusty winds later in the day. At the same time, air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category, with multiple localities reporting AQI readings well above the citywide figure.

The expected temperatures—around 27 degrees Celsius for the maximum and 14 degrees Celsius for the minimum—suggested a modest dip from Tuesday’s high, though still relatively warm for the season. With the IMD’s yellow alert in place and a forecast emphasizing intermittent rainfall rather than a prolonged downpour, the day was set to be changeable, with conditions potentially varying from one part of the city to another.

Across the wider region, similar conditions were anticipated in parts of the NCR and neighbouring states, with Noida and Gurugram also forecast to see cloud cover and rain or thundershowers during the day before a return to clearer skies in the days ahead.

Key figures at a glance

• Delhi maximum temperature on Tuesday: 30.9°C
• Departure from normal (as noted): about 6.5°C above average for this time of year
• Delhi AQI on Wednesday at 8 a.m.: 228 (‘poor’)
• Delhi AQI on Tuesday: 259 (‘poor’)
• Forecast for Wednesday: very light to light rain; isolated thunderstorms/lightning; gusty winds 30–40 kmph
• Expected Delhi temperatures on Wednesday: max ~27°C, min ~14°C

As the day progressed, residents across Delhi and nearby regions were likely to experience a combination of cloud cover, brief showers, and gusty winds—set against continued air-quality challenges that remained visible in monitoring data across multiple parts of the city.