IMD issues Yellow alert as rain and thunderstorms likely in Delhi

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed Delhi under a yellow alert for Wednesday (February 18), forecasting rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms across the national capital. The advisory also covers nearby regions such as Gurugram and Faridabad. As per the IMD’s latest update, residents of Delhi-NCR can expect overcast conditions throughout the day.

Intermittent spells of very light to light rain, along with thunder and lightning at isolated locations, are likely. Wind speeds may range between 30 and 40 kmph during the forenoon. Another brief spell of light rainfall could occur later in the afternoon. Earlier this week, the capital experienced its warmest day of the year so far. On Monday (February 16), the mercury climbed to 31.6°C, seven degrees higher than the seasonal norm, marking the first instance this year that temperatures crossed the 30°C mark.

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Weather records indicate that this is the earliest in five years that February temperatures have exceeded 30°C. A similar early spike was last recorded in 2021, when the temperature reached 30.4°C on February 11. Relief from the unusual warmth is expected to be short-lived. A fresh western disturbance is set to bring light showers beginning Wednesday (February 18). Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality remained poor on Monday (February 16), with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 258, in the 'poor' category as per the Sameer app.

However, Mahesh Palawat, Vice President at Skymet, said that the system is relatively weak and unlikely to cause any significant or lasting drop in temperatures. Delhi remained warmer than average during the first half of February. Between February 1 and 15, the city recorded an average maximum temperature of 25°C, nearly 2°C above the long-term average. Since Feb 12, daytime temperatures have steadily climbed, rising from 25.4°C to 28.5°C by February 15.