Delhi Stays Dry and Warm as IMD Forecasts Clear Skies in North India
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
Delhi and much of north India are set for dry, clear days this week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast, with no rain expected over Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Daytime temperatures in the capital are expected to stay between 31°C and 33°C until at least Tuesday, October 20, The Week and Business Standard reported.
Cooler Nights in the Capital
Delhi’s minimum temperature fell to 18.6°C on Sunday, two notches above the season’s average, PTI reported. Night temperatures have been hovering between 18°C and 20°C, making mornings and late evenings noticeably more pleasant than earlier in the month, while afternoons remain warm under clear skies.
IMD has said no more rainfall is expected over the National Capital Region this week, after thunderstorms earlier in October.
Air Quality in the Moderate Range
The city’s air quality index stayed in the “moderate” category over the weekend, with CPCB-based readings around 134 on Saturday morning and some stations recording higher values, reports said. Dry, calm weather in late October usually lets pollutants build up near the ground, and air quality is likely to come under more pressure as stubble burning and festival-season traffic pick up.
People with asthma or heart conditions may want to limit strenuous outdoor activity in the early morning, when pollution levels tend to be higher.
Snow on the Higher Himalayan Reaches
The hills are seeing a different picture. IMD has forecast isolated to scattered rain over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Uttarakhand, and higher areas of Himachal Pradesh such as Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba and Kinnaur have reported fresh snowfall, according to reports. Travellers heading to high passes should check local advisories before setting out.
IMD expects the plains to stay dry for the next few days, with another spell of rain possible in the hills around October 21–22. Read IPB’s earlier report on stubble burning and Delhi’s air and more in Weather Updates.
Based on IMD forecasts and reporting by The Week, Business Standard, PTI via ThePrint, The Hans India and NewsBytes.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
