Heavy rain lashed several parts of Delhi-NCR in the early hours of Thursday, offering relief from the hot and humid weather that had persisted across the national capital.
The rainfall brought down the intensity of the humidity, while overcast conditions continued across several parts of the city. However, the improvement in weather conditions did not translate into better air quality, with Delhi continuing to record pollution levels in the poor category.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi is likely to receive more rainfall during the day.
Light rain was forecast between 12.30 pm and 3.30 pm, with temperatures expected to remain around 33 degrees Celsius. The probability of rainfall during this period was estimated at 20 per cent.
Rain chances were expected to increase later in the day. The IMD forecast scattered thunderstorms between 4.30 pm and 6.30 pm, with temperatures likely to remain between 31 and 32 degrees Celsius.
The probability of rainfall during the evening was expected to rise to around 35 per cent.
Monsoon remains active across several states
The rainfall in Delhi comes as the monsoon remains active across several parts of the country.
Heavy rain has been reported in Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, with the IMD issuing colour-coded alerts in several districts.
Authorities have warned of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in some areas, along with the possibility of weather-related disruptions.
Red alert issued in parts of Uttar Pradesh
In Uttar Pradesh, red alerts for extremely heavy rainfall have been issued for districts including Banda, Prayagraj and Mirzapur.
Several neighbouring districts have also been placed under yellow alerts as authorities monitor the weather situation.
The continued rainfall has raised concerns over waterlogging, flooding and disruption to transport in vulnerable areas.
Himachal Pradesh faces widespread disruption
In Himachal Pradesh, persistent rainfall and adverse weather conditions have affected road connectivity and essential services.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, as many as 166 roads, including National Highway-003, remained blocked.
The rain has also affected infrastructure, with 130 power transformers and 222 water supply schemes reported to have been impacted.
Mandi was the worst-affected district in terms of road connectivity, with 84 roads blocked.
Delhi air quality remains poor
Despite the rainfall, Delhi’s air quality remained in the poor category at several monitoring stations.
Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 264, followed by Bawana at 249.
Other locations, including North Campus, Rohini, Punjabi Bagh, Ashok Vihar and RK Puram, also recorded air quality levels ranging from moderate to poor.
Several other monitoring stations recorded relatively lower AQI readings. CRRI Mathura Road recorded an AQI of 114, while Burari Crossing recorded 96 and Pusa 89.
NSIT Dwarka recorded 72, while ITO stood at 110 and DTU at 82. Dwarka Sector-8 recorded 140, while Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium recorded 107.
Other readings included Narela at 96, Okhla Phase-2 at 106, Alipur at 109, IIT Delhi at 132 and JNU at 82.
With more rain and thunderstorms forecast, weather conditions across Delhi-NCR are expected to remain changeable through Thursday. The rainfall is likely to provide further temporary relief from humidity, while authorities continue monitoring air quality and weather-related risks.
(With inputs from IANS)
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