Delhi Weather Today: Thunderstorm And Gusty Winds Likely, IMD Predicts Relief From Heat

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds for Delhi on Saturday, potentially offering some respite from the intense heat. The maximum temperature in the capital is expected to hover around 40°C.

According to the IMD, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 29.6°C-1.6 degrees above the seasonal average. Relative humidity was reported at 68% at 8:30 am.

Air quality in the city remained in the "moderate" category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 156 at 9 am, based on data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Under CPCB guidelines, AQI values between 101 and 200 are classified as "moderate", while readings below 100 are considered satisfactory or good. AQI levels above 200 fall into the poor or worse categories.

In a broader weather update issued Friday, the IMD noted that conditions are becoming favourable for further advancement of the Southwest monsoon across India. Monsoon rains are likely to spread to additional areas of Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha over the next two days. Subsequently, rainfall is expected in parts of Gujarat, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Bihar within the following three days.

The IMD further indicated that the monsoon is expected to enter an active phase between June 13 and 17, bringing heavy to very heavy rainfall at several locations, along with isolated instances of extremely heavy rainfall (exceeding 20 cm in 24 hours) over the southern peninsular region and the Konkan-Goa belt.

Meanwhile, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist over Northwest India, including the Western Himalayan Region, for the next two days before subsiding. Severe heatwave conditions have been recorded in several areas across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and West Rajasthan. Heatwave conditions also affected large parts of Punjab, parts of East Rajasthan, and isolated areas of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and East Madhya Pradesh.

This year, the southwest monsoon arrived in Kerala on May 24, a week ahead of schedule and the earliest onset recorded since 2009. The normal onset date for the monsoon is June 1. However, after the early onset, monsoon progress had stalled for two weeks before resuming its advance.