Rain Lashes Delhi-NCR On Basant Panchami, Cooler Weather Likely As Mercury Set To Dip

Light to moderate rain swept across Delhi-NCR early Friday morning, January 23, coinciding with the festival of Basant Panchami. Dark clouds gathered around 6 am, followed by steady drizzle that continued for nearly 15 minutes. The rainfall is expected to clear the atmosphere, slightly intensify the cold, and offer some respite from pollution levels.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier forecast a change in weather conditions on Basant Panchami and issued a rain alert for Delhi and surrounding regions for Friday, January 23. According to the department, cloudy skies are likely to persist until the afternoon, with intermittent light rainfall throughout the day.

Thunderstorms and Lightning Possible

The weather office has also warned that the rain may be accompanied by gusty winds and lightning on Friday. Light fog is likely during the morning hours, while wind speeds may reach 30–40 kmph. Mild fog conditions are also expected to linger in the early part of the day.

January 22 Recorded as Warmest Day in Seven Years

Thursday, January 22, was recorded as the warmest January day in Delhi in the past seven years. IMD data showed that the maximum temperature at Safdarjung Observatory touched 27.1 degrees Celsius. However, a drop in temperatures is expected over the next 24 hours.

The department noted that a higher January maximum temperature was last recorded in 2019, when the mercury climbed to 28.7 degrees Celsius on January 21. This month’s second-warmest day was January 19, with a high of 26.7 degrees Celsius, compared to the long-term January average maximum of 20.4 degrees Celsius.

Delhi’s Air Quality Remains ‘Very Poor’

Despite the weather change, air quality in the national capital remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Thursday, January 22. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 313. However, the rain and thunderstorm activity on January 23 is expected to bring some relief.