New Delhi:There was light rain in the capital Delhi on Friday morning, which indicated a change in the weather. India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rain with thunder throughout the day due to active western disturbance. According to the Meteorological Department, a drop in temperature may be recorded due to rain and the maximum temperature is expected to be between 18 to 20 degrees Celsius.
Although the morning showers brought some relief from the smog and heat, air quality still remains a matter of concern. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) of the capital was recorded in the ‘poor’ category.
Light rain in the morning and more showers expected during the day
According to IMD, there may be one or two rounds of light rain from early Friday till afternoon. During this period, there is a possibility of thunder, lightning and strong winds at a speed of 30–40 kilometers per hour. Officials say that this change in the weather is being seen due to active western disturbance.
Relief from smog, but air still bad
Light rain and thundershowers have brought some relief from the smog that has been prevailing in Delhi for a long time. Despite this, according to CPCB, Delhi’s average AQI at 7 am was recorded at 297, which falls in the ‘poor’ category.
Air quality is worse in these areas
According to the CPCB report, pollution levels remain high in many areas of Delhi. AQI was recorded at 317 in Anand Vihar, 335 in Ashok Vihar, 351 in Wazirpur, 326 in Punjabi Bagh, 315 in RK Puram, 342 in Bawana, 266 in ITO, 326 in Chandni Chowk and 316 in Dwarka Sector-8.
Morning temperature around 16.4 degrees
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the temperature of Delhi was recorded at around 16.4 degrees Celsius at 7 am on Friday. According to AQI classification, 0–50 is ‘good’, 51–100 is ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 is ‘moderate’, 201–300 is ‘poor’, 301–400 is ‘very poor’ and 401–500 is ‘severe’.
Thursday was the hottest day of January
Unusual heat was seen in Delhi on Thursday. The maximum temperature reached 27.1 degrees Celsius, which was about seven degrees above normal. This was the hottest day of January recorded in the last seven years.
An official of the Meteorological Department said, "At this time of the year the western winds are cold, while the eastern winds are hot." According to officials, continuous warm easterly winds and clear skies increased the sunshine hours, leading to a rise in the temperature.
There will be a drop in temperature
The Meteorological Department has predicted several rains on Friday, due to which the temperature may drop. According to officials, the maximum temperature is expected to be between 18–20 degrees Celsius on Friday and 16–18 degrees Celsius on Saturday.
IMD has issued a yellow alert for rain across the city. Officials said, "There is a possibility of light to moderate rain around Friday afternoon or evening." Also, people have been advised to be alert about strong winds and local thunderstorms.
AQI expected to improve due to rain
Due to cloud cover and rain, air quality may remain in ‘poor’ category on Friday. However, if the weather forecast proves correct then some improvement in AQI may be seen by Saturday.
Comments are closed.