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Delhi experienced its cleanest Air Quality Index (AQI) between January 1 and August 8 from 2018 to 2024, as reported by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The AQI was recorded at 53, placing it in the ‘satisfactory’ category according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This improvement in air quality is attributed to the recent rainfall in the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted rain for the next seven days, with the possibility of heavy rainfall towards August 13-14.

On Thursday, light rain fell across various parts of Delhi, resulting in a maximum temperature of 34.1°C, typical for this time of year. The minimum temperature dropped to 25.4°C, which is 1.5°C below the seasonal average. The rain caused some disruptions, including waterlogging and tree uprootings. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) received 18 complaints about waterlogging and 16 about fallen trees.

The IMD predicts generally cloudy skies with light rain for Friday, with temperatures ranging from a minimum of 26°C to a maximum of 34°C. Residents of Delhi-NCR woke up to sporadic rains and cloudy skies on Friday morning. The maximum temperature is likely to reach 35°C, while the minimum temperature will hover around 26°C.

From August 10-14, Delhi is expected to see generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rain and thundershowers. The recent spells of heavy rain have contributed to the improved air quality. The weather department has also predicted widespread to very heavy rain showers across various parts of the country for the next seven days.

Source: IMD

Light to moderate, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rains are likely in parts of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh on August 10. Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, and Meghalaya are also expected to experience isolated very heavy rainfall on the same day. The next 2-3 days will see light to moderate, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rains in parts of east Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.

Parts of Chhattisgarh may report isolated extremely heavy rainfall today. Kerala, Coastal Karnataka, and interior Tamil Nadu are likely to experience light to moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfall over the next three days.

The IMD has advised fishermen to avoid venturing into the northwest Bay of Bengal and along the Odisha-West Bengal coasts for the next two days due to challenging sea conditions.