Late Tuesday night, the national capital was greeted with light rainfall in various areas including Mandi House, RK Puram, and along the Indraprastha Road near Nizamuddin flyover towards Bhairon Marg, as well as on Kartavya Path. Visuals were captured of rain lashing parts of the city during these unseasonal showers.
The weather event was driven by an active western disturbance affecting northwest India, as reported by the IMD. Himachal Pradesh expected light to moderate rain or snowfall in multiple districts, including Chamba, Lahul, Spiti, Kinnaur, Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, Mandi, and Kullu. Isolated heavy precipitation was forecasted, along with the possibility of thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds, particularly in districts like Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, and Sirmaur.
In tandem, Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar district experienced a drop in temperature following rainfall, with Srinagar itself recording a temperature of 2 degrees Celsius on Monday, contrasting with the sub-zero temperatures in Gulmarg. The Meteorological Department projected an extended spell of rain and snow across Jammu and Kashmir till Wednesday, which was anticipated to bring relief to farmers and assist in reducing pollution levels.
Delhi too saw the impact of the weather conditions, with Safdarjung, Palam, Ridge, and Ayanagar recording varying amounts of rainfall, while the city witnessed strong surface winds on Monday with speeds up to 50 kilometers per hour. The month of February noted 32.5mm of rainfall thus far, with the wettest February being in 2014 with 48.8mm. Although there was rain and strong winds, the air quality in Delhi remained in the ‘poor’ category with an AQI recorded at 214 on Tuesday morning.
Amidst these weather conditions, Delhi’s average temperature saw a slight dip, with an expected high of 26°C compared to Monday’s 28.2°C. Furthermore, the lifting of Stage II measures of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) by the Commission for Air Quality Management indicated a slight improvement in the region’s air quality, relieving residents from additional preventative measures. As a result, the city braced for more rainy spells, following the forecast of sporadic showers moving in from neighboring states.