Delhi sees highest October rain since 2022, AQI improves to satisfactory category

Heavy rain and thunderstorms lashed Delhi in the early hours of Monday, bringing the city its highest October rainfall since October 2022, lowering temperatures and pushing the air quality into the 'satisfactory' category for the first time this month. The showers also led to waterlogging in some areas and traffic diversions.The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi's base weather station, recorded 41.6 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department. The last time the city recorded higher rainfall in October was on October 9, 2022, when Safdarjung received around 74 mm. Residents can expect intermittent showers over the next three days, according to a weather expert.Among Delhi's five weather stations, the Ridge recorded the highest rainfall at 49 mm, followed by Safdarjung at 41.6 mm, Lodhi Road at 41.4 mm, Ayanagar at 39 mm and Palam at 31 mm during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am. Between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, the Ridge recorded another 1.4 mm of rainfall, while Safdarjung, Palam, Lodhi Road and Ayanagar reported no rainfall during that period.Waterlogging was reported in parts of Sainik Farm in south Delhi and Mahipalpur. Visuals from R K Puram, Kartavya Path and other parts of central, south-east and west Delhi showed rain lashing the city. The Delhi Traffic Police said on X that traffic had been diverted on both carriageways of Ansari Road, between Dharampura and Iron Bridge, due to waterlogging. A weather expert said the showers were caused by a combination of systems, including a western disturbance over northern Pakistan, a cyclonic circulation over Haryana, and winds from the Bay of Bengal and south-westerly winds from the Arabian Sea. Mahesh Palawat of Skymet said, "This is a normal weather pattern, and the showers are typical post-monsoon rainfall. Residents can expect intermittent showers over the next three days."According to the IMD's automatic weather station network, Kamla Nehru Nagar in Ghaziabad recorded the highest rainfall at 52 mm between 8.30 am on Sunday and 7 am on Monday. Janakpuri recorded 35 mm, Pragati Maidan 35.2 mm, Narayana 40 mm and Pusa 42 mm. Pitampura recorded at least 24.5 mm, Chhatarpur 19 mm, Mayur Vihar 20.5 mm, Jharoda Kalan 19.5 mm, Jafarpur 4.5 mm, Najafgarh and Mehrauli 0.5 mm each, and Hindon in Ghaziabad 3 mm. Among the stations with available wind data, Pusa recorded the highest wind gust at 46.3 kmph, followed by Pitampura and Pragati Maidan at 37 kmph each. The rainfall brought cooler conditions to the capital. Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 18.7 degrees Celsius, 2.3 degrees below normal and the lowest so far this month. Palam recorded 17 degrees Celsius, 4.5 degrees below normal, while Lodhi Road recorded 18.7 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees below normal. The Ridge recorded a minimum of 20 degrees Celsius, 2.1 degrees below normal, and Ayanagar 18.5 degrees Celsius, 2.4 degrees below normal. The maximum temperature at Safdarjung settled at 30.2 degrees Celsius, four degrees below normal. Palam recorded 28.4 degrees Celsius, 6.1 degrees below normal, Lodhi Road 29.8 degrees Celsius, 3.2 degrees below normal, the Ridge 29.1 degrees Celsius, 5.6 degrees below normal, and Ayanagar 29.5 degrees Celsius, 5.1 degrees below normal.The showers also improved Delhi's air quality. The city's average air quality index stood at 83 on Monday, in the 'satisfactory' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. It was the first time this month that Delhi's air was 'satisfactory'. An AQI of 0-50 is classified as 'good', 51-100 as 'satisfactory', 101-200 as 'moderate', 201-300 as 'poor', 301-400 as 'very poor', and 401-500 as 'severe'. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, Delhi's air quality is likely to remain 'satisfactory' on Monday before slipping to the 'moderate' category from October 13 to 15, with the outlook for the following six days suggesting levels from 'moderate' to 'poor'.Overall, Monday's rain brought widespread showers across Delhi, lowered day and night temperatures, improved air quality and caused waterlogging and traffic disruption in some areas, with intermittent rainfall likely to continue over the next three days.- EndsWith PTI inputs