Recent rainfall over the last two days has significantly enhanced the air quality in Delhi, marking the cleanest air the city has experienced this year.
At approximately 4 PM on Wednesday, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) registered at 59, categorizing it as ‘Satisfactory’—the lowest level observed at that time in 2023. The previous lowest AQI this year was recorded at 73 on June 12, based on data from the Central Pollution Control Board.
Throughout July, Delhi has achieved ‘Satisfactory’ air quality on three occasions, while the remaining days fell under the ‘Moderate’ category, with AQI values ranging from 101 to 200. In June, the city also had three days classified as ‘Satisfactory,’ with an average AQI of 141 for the month.
During the past 24 hours, the Ridge weather station reported 54.3 mm of rainfall, bringing the total for July to 79.1 mm, which is approximately 154 percent above the typical amount for this period. Ayanagar recorded 51 mm of rainfall this month, exceeding its long-term average of 35.1 mm by around 45 percent. Additionally, Gurgaon noted 83 mm of rainfall by Wednesday morning.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi’s Safdarjung station has measured 31.52 mm of rainfall so far this month, compared to the normal July average of 209.7 mm.
The weather agency has issued a yellow alert for Thursday as well.
The rainfall also resulted in a noticeable decrease in temperatures on Wednesday. The maximum temperature at Safdarjung reached 30.8 degrees Celsius, which is 5.8 degrees below the normal average and 6.4 degrees lower than the previous day. The minimum temperature was recorded at 25.4 degrees Celsius, 4.6 degrees lower than Tuesday’s figure. In Gurgaon, maximum temperatures fell by 9.4 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures dipped by as much as 4.8 degrees.
The IMD attributes the extensive rainfall to a well-defined low-pressure system situated over northwest Madhya Pradesh and adjacent southwest Uttar Pradesh, coupled with conditions favorable for the continued progression of the southwest monsoon. The weather forecast for Thursday indicates generally overcast skies, with additional light rain and thunderstorms expected.
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