On Tuesday, Delhi experienced its cleanest air quality of the year, thanks to recent rainfall that brought about a significant drop in temperatures following a spell of extreme heat.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) registered at 86, remaining in the ‘satisfactory’ range for the second day in a row.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced on X that this marked the lowest daily average AQI recorded in the city for the year, with the measurement taken at 4:00 PM.

Isolated instances of hailstorms, thunderstorms, and lightning were reported in various locations, including ITO, Akshardham, Nehru Stadium, Dilshad Garden, Seemapuri, Shahdara, and Vivek Vihar within Delhi, as well as in nearby areas like Loni Dehat, Hindon Air Force Station, Ghaziabad, Bagpat, and Khekra.

Delhi International Airport issued a notice on its X account, indicating that flight operations might face disruptions due to hailstorm activity near the airport, potentially leading to delays.

Palam recorded 9.8 mm of rainfall from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, while Ayanagar received 1.4 mm. In contrast, Safdarjung noted only a trace of rain, and Lodi Road and Ridge reported no precipitation during this timeframe.

By 8:30 AM, Ridge had recorded 11.9 mm of rainfall, followed by Lodi Road with 6.1 mm and Safdarjung with 4.6 mm. Palam had only a trace amount, while Ayanagar reported no rainfall.

The city remained under a yellow alert throughout the day.

Maximum temperatures in Delhi fell below normal levels at all major weather stations. Safdarjung recorded a high of 33.6 degrees Celsius, which is 5.7 degrees below the seasonal average, while Palam noted 32.8 degrees Celsius, 7.3 degrees below normal. Lodi Road reached a maximum of 32.2 degrees Celsius, 5.8 degrees below average; Ridge reported 32.8 degrees Celsius, 7.2 degrees below normal; and Ayanagar recorded 32.8 degrees Celsius, 8 degrees below the norm.

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