Rain and cooler temperatures bring temporary winter-like feel to Delhi-NCR
Overnight rain lowered temperatures and improved air quality in Delhi and nearby Uttar Pradesh, with forecasts indicating the wet spell will ease by the weekend.
Delhi and surrounding areas in Uttar Pradesh experienced a marked drop in temperature on Friday after overnight rain, giving the capital a cooler, hill-station feel. Heavy showers continued through the night in parts of the city, including Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station and Jamia Millia Islamia, leaving roads wet and skies cloudy.
The rain also helped reduce air pollution, with the Central Pollution Control Board reporting the Air Quality Index at 133, classified as "moderate," at 4 a.m. on Friday, down from levels above 200 earlier in the week.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Delhi and nearby NCR districts on October 29, warning of rain, thunderstorms and lightning for the next 24 to 48 hours. It expects cloudy skies with occasional light to moderate rain across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad on October 30, with heavier showers possible at night. Conditions are forecast to improve from October 31, with partly cloudy skies and green alerts indicating no significant weather disturbances on November 1 and 2.
A remnant cyclonic circulation is driving heavy rainfall in parts of Uttar Pradesh and several other states, including east Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Sikkim, with flash-flood risks in vulnerable districts. Southern states may see additional rain from early November as a system over the Bay of Bengal moves inland, affecting coastal Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Overall, the rain-induced chill offers a brief early taste of winter for Delhi-NCR, but temperatures are expected to stabilize as skies clear later in the week.