Delhi-NCR drenched by rain, thunderstorms; IMD warns of more showers, falling mercury

Rain, Thunderstorms Batter Delhi-NCR; Temperatures to Plunge

Parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) received moderate rain and thunderstorms on Friday morning, with temperatures expected to fall sharply. Showers are likely to continue for the next two hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said at 7:30 am.

An orange alert has been issued for Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas of Punjab and Haryana. The IMD said an active western disturbance is driving cloudy skies, rain, and thunderstorms, with gusty winds of 30–40 kmph expected in the afternoon.

Delhi recorded its warmest January day in seven years on Thursday, hitting 27.1°C. Friday will see a sharp drop, with a maximum of 19°C and a minimum of 12°C.

Air quality showed slight improvement but remained ‘very poor’ in Delhi (AQI 302), while Noida (293) and Gurugram (272) stayed in the ‘poor’ category. Forecasts suggest moderate air quality on January 23–24, worsening to poor on January 25. Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been lifted, though Stages I and II remain in effect.

North India Outlook
Rain hit Jammu on Thursday, intensifying the cold wave. Uttarakhand is expected to see rain and snowfall, with orange alerts for Uttarkashi, Dehradun, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli. Bageshwar and Pithoragarh may also receive precipitation, while yellow alerts have been issued for other districts due to hail and strong winds.

The rains are expected to provide relief from dry conditions and reduce forest fire risks in the hill state.