Dry, Warm Week Ahead for North India as Barmer Touches 37.8°C

North India is set for a dry, warmer-than-usual week, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting “no significant weather” over the northwest of the country until at least 25 October, its all-India bulletin issued on Monday said. Barmer in Rajasthan recorded the country’s highest maximum temperature of 37.8°C, while Mandi in Himachal Pradesh logged the lowest minimum in the plains at 12.4°C; a weak western disturbance, seen as a cyclonic circulation over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab, is not expected to bring rain.

Warm Nights in Rajasthan and East UP

Night temperatures were markedly above normal, by more than 5°C, at isolated places in west and east Rajasthan and east Uttar Pradesh, IMD said. Daytime temperatures were appreciably above normal at a few places in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Delhi-NCR, including Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad, is expected to stay dry, and no significant change is forecast for Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh or Himachal Pradesh, India.com reported, citing IMD. For Dussehra crowds at Ramlila grounds, that means clear evenings with no rain disruption.

Still Air Raises Pollution Worries

Dry, calm conditions tend to trap pollutants close to the ground. Forecasters expect Delhi’s air quality to slip into the “poor” category from 21 October, as IPB reported on Monday night, when Safdarjung recorded the coldest October night so far. Farm fires and the revised GRAP rules are explained in IPB’s Delhi air pollution explainer. People with breathing problems may want to limit early-morning outdoor exercise once the air turns poor.

No Rain Expected Before the Weekend

IMD’s week-long outlook shows no rain warning for any northwestern state, and dry conditions are expected to hold until at least Saturday. The department has issued no fog or cold-wave warnings yet. The next shift will depend on whether a stronger western disturbance reaches the hills later in the month. Follow IPB’s Weather Updates for changes.

Source: IMD all-India weather bulletin. Also based on reporting by India.com and Down To Earth.

Image: Wikimedia Commons.