Delhi-NCR is likely to see a shift in weather from 29 October, with the weather department forecasting light rain accompanied by thunderstorms in several areas over two days. The change comes as a developing low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal is expected to strengthen and influence weather conditions across parts of the country.
According to the forecast cited in the report, clouds are likely to gather over Delhi and the National Capital Region on 29 October. Light rain with thunder and lightning may occur at several places between the afternoon and evening. Residents and commuters could therefore face short periods of unsettled weather during the latter part of the day.
The possibility of rain is expected to continue on 30 October. The weather department has forecast cloudy conditions across parts of Delhi-NCR, with light rain and thunderstorms possible from the morning until before noon. Lightning has also been forecast for the day. Overall, the forecast indicates two days of light rain rather than a spell of sustained heavy rainfall in the region.
The wider weather system is linked to a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal. The report said the system could strengthen into a cyclonic storm on Monday morning, intensify into a severe cyclonic storm on Tuesday and potentially become a very severe cyclonic storm by Wednesday morning. The system is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to different parts of the country, although the Delhi-NCR forecast specifies light rain and thunderstorms for 29 and 30 October.
Temperatures in Delhi are expected to remain relatively high for late October. The maximum temperature on 26 and 29 October could remain between 31 and 33 degrees Celsius, according to the forecast. On 27, 28, 30 and 31 October, the maximum temperature is expected to stay around 30 to 32 degrees Celsius.
The forecast also points to a limited immediate improvement in air quality. Winds in Delhi are expected to remain slow, at around 5 to 10 kilometres per hour during the evening until 28 October. Weak winds can restrict the dispersal of pollutants, meaning that pollution levels may not see a major improvement before the weather changes. The report said stronger winds after 28 October could bring some relief.
The air-quality situation was recorded as moderate in the latest figures cited by the report. After rain and thundershowers in Delhi on Saturday night, the city recorded an Air Quality Index of 167 at 9 am on Sunday, placing it in the moderate category. However, 11 of the 54 monitoring stations recorded air in the poor category. The AQI at IIT Delhi was reported at 245.
The night-time rain was also followed by a fall in temperature. Delhi’s minimum temperature reached 17 degrees Celsius in the morning, according to the report. The city is expected to remain largely dry until 28 October, followed by light rain on 29 and 30 October. Weather conditions are forecast to turn dry again on 31 October.
