Delhi recorded its wettest October day in four years after overnight rain pushed rainfall to 61.4 mm in the 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Friday, October 30, 2026, while the India Meteorological Department issued a red alert warning of more showers, thunderstorms and lightning across the capital.
The month’s cumulative rainfall reached 123.3 mm, placing it close to the 128 mm recorded during the whole of October 2022. The last time Delhi received more rain on a single October day was October 9, 2022, when the city recorded 74 mm.
The IMD said light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning was very likely at most places in Delhi during the three hours following its alert, with heavy rain possible at isolated locations. The alert covered south-east Delhi, east Delhi, Shahdara, central Delhi, north-east Delhi, south Delhi, New Delhi, south-west Delhi, west Delhi, north-west Delhi and north Delhi.
Rainfall varied sharply across the city and adjoining areas. Jharoda Kalan recorded the highest total at 89 mm, followed by Lodi Road at 63 mm and Safdarjung at 56.5 mm. Jhajjar recorded 47 mm, Narayana 44.5 mm, Pitampura 42.5 mm, Pusa 41.5 mm and Pragati Maidan 40.9 mm. Kamla Nehru Nagar in Ghaziabad recorded 41 mm, while Gurugram recorded 36 mm and Janakpuri 35.5 mm.
Mayur Vihar received 9 mm and Jafarpur recorded 1 mm. Data was not available for Najafgarh, Mehrauli, Chhatarpur and Hindon in Ghaziabad. The uneven distribution highlights how rainfall conditions can differ considerably across Delhi’s large urban area and its surrounding built-up districts.
The rain also brought a temporary improvement in air quality. Delhi’s Air Quality Index stood at 90 at 9.30 a.m., placing it in the ‘satisfactory’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. Data on the CPCB’s SAMEER application showed that 36 monitoring stations recorded satisfactory air quality, while 16 stations were in the moderate category.
Under the CPCB’s scale, an AQI of zero to 50 is classified as good, 51 to 100 as satisfactory, 101 to 200 as moderate, 201 to 300 as poor, 301 to 400 as very poor and 401 to 500 as severe.
Temperatures also fell with the rain. The minimum temperature at Safdarjung, Delhi’s base weather station, settled at 17.2°C, which was 1.1 degrees above normal. Palam recorded 15.4°C, the Ridge 16.8°C, Lodi Road 18°C and Ayanagar 17.4°C. The maximum temperature was expected to settle around 27°C.
The IMD’s red alert remained the immediate operational warning for residents and city agencies, with more rain and thunderstorms expected over the affected areas.
