Unexpected early morning rain drench DelhiNCR, intensify cold wave; AQI remains very poor at 321

NEW DELHI: A sudden spell of rain early Friday caught residents of Delhi-NCR by surprise, intensifying the ongoing cold wave even as air pollution levels remained alarmingly high at 321 AQI.

Dark clouds gathered over the region in the pre-dawn hours, with several parts of Delhi receiving rain around 6am.

The showers, heavy for some time before turning light, were accompanied by cold northwesterly winds that further lowered the chill factor.

Gurgaon also witnessed unexpected rain, despite no specific forecast for the city.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi’s minimum temperature on Friday is expected to hover around 5°C, while the maximum may reach 16–17°C.

Safdarjung recorded a minimum of 5.8°C on Thursday, nearly a degree below normal, marking the city’s coldest day of the season so far. Lodhi Road reported a similar minimum of 6.1°C. While the rain was expected to bring some relief from pollution, Delhi’s air quality continued to remain in the very poor category.

The morning Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at around 321 at 8am. Neighbouring cities fared worse, with Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad recording AQI levels in similar range.

IMD has issued a yellow alert for dense fog, warning of reduced visibility on Friday and Saturday. Winds blowing at around 13 kmph are likely to make daytime conditions feel colder, despite brief spells of sunshine seen over the past two days.

The weather department said there is unlikely to be any significant change in minimum temperatures over the next few days, with cold nights expected to persist. Cold-day conditions—defined as maximum temperatures significantly below normal—are also likely to continue.

Meanwhile, the IMD has warned of heavy rain in parts of southern India, while severe cold and dense fog conditions are expected to prevail across northern and central regions.

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