Delhi witnessed a sudden change in weather after heavy overnight rain brought cooler conditions to the national capital and surrounding areas.
The showers left roads wet and the air noticeably cooler, giving residents an early feel of winter. The rain also brought some relief from air pollution. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI), which had remained in the Poor category over the previous two days, improved to 133 in the Moderate category at 4 am on Friday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
However, more rain and thunderstorms are expected across Delhi-NCR on Friday, October 30. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the region, warning residents about changing weather conditions.
Delhi-NCR Weather: More rain likely on October 30
According to the IMD, Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad may receive light to moderate rainfall on Friday. Thunderstorms and lightning are also likely in several areas, while a few locations may receive moderate showers during the morning and forenoon hours.
The weather department has also warned of gusty winds and the possibility of isolated hailstorms over Delhi and neighbouring areas. Wind speeds could reach 40-50 kmph in some locations, according to the weather warnings issued earlier.
The maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to remain around 27 degrees Celsius, while the minimum may fall to around 17 degrees Celsius.
The weather is likely to improve from October 31. The IMD has forecast partly cloudy skies on Saturday, followed by mainly clear weather on November 1 and 2. The minimum temperature may remain between 16 and 17 degrees Celsius during this period.
Heavy rain alert for Bihar, Odisha and Other states
While Delhi-NCR is expected to see a gradual improvement in weather, several eastern and central parts of the country may continue to receive heavy rainfall. The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rain at isolated places in north Bihar on October 30. Chhattisgarh and Odisha may also receive very heavy rainfall in some areas.
Jharkhand, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and East Uttar Pradesh are likely to experience heavy to very heavy showers.
The weather department has also flagged a possible risk of flash floods in some vulnerable areas until October 30. The districts under watch include Korba, Surguja and Balrampur in Chhattisgarh; Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Sambalpur in Odisha; Palamu and Simdega in Jharkhand; East and West Champaran, Rohtas and Bhojpur in Bihar; and Sonbhadra, Ghazipur and Ballia in Uttar Pradesh.
Residents in these areas have been advised to follow local weather updates and remain cautious in places that are prone to waterlogging and flooding.
South India may receive heavy rain from November 2
Rainfall activity is also expected to increase across parts of southern India in the first week of November as a weather system over the Bay of Bengal moves closer to the region. According to the IMD forecast, Coastal Karnataka, Kerala, South Interior Karnataka, Telangana and Coastal Andhra Pradesh may receive widespread rainfall between November 2 and 4.
Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam are likely to witness very heavy rainfall at isolated places on November 2 and 3. Telangana may also experience thunderstorms and strong winds, with gusts reaching up to 60 kmph.
The IMD has advised people to keep track of weather updates, particularly in areas expected to receive heavy rain and strong winds.
With rain continuing in several parts of the country, weather conditions are likely to remain unsettled over the next few days. Delhi-NCR, however, is expected to see clearer skies from the beginning of November.