Rains and winds keep Delhi’s air clean for 9th day in a row

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also sounded an orange alert, anticipating light to moderate rain in the evening hours on Friday. According to the IMD, 21 mm of rainfall was recorded in Pusa, followed by 15.5 mm at Janakpuri. Safdarjung, which is representative of the capital, did not log rainfall. However, other stations such as Najafgarh 8 mm, Palam saw 5.2 mm, Ridge 4.4 mm, Ayanagar 2.8 mm, SPS Mayur Vihar 0.5 mm and Pragati Maidan 0.2 mm. Trace rainfall was recorded at the Lodi Road station.

The IMD, in its weather bulletin, said South-Easterly winds prevailed with wind speed up to 19 kmph gusting to 34 kmph over Delhi on Friday. While the minimum temperature was near normal at 28.4 degrees Celsius, the maximum temperature was a notch below normal at 36.2 degrees Celsius. The humidity levels meanwhile reached up to 87%.

In its forecast, the IMD has sounded a yellow alert throughout the weekend. It has anticipated: “Generally cloudy sky. Light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorm or lightning.”

In the next week, while there is no alert issued by the Met office, it has forecast light to moderate rain. The temperatures are expected to drop eventually to around 32 degrees Celsius, and the night temperatures could settle at around 24 degrees Celsius.

The IMD officials also warned that, “Heavy rainfall activity likely to continue over northwest and central India during next 7 days with peak intensity over northwest India during July 6 and 7.”

Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, in its air quality forecast said: “The air quality is likely to be in the Satisfactory category from July 5 to 7.”

The outlook for the subsequent six days read: The air quality is likely to be in the Satisfactory to Moderate category.”