Delhi surpasses annual rainfall average in early september, air quality hits year's best

New Delhi: Delhi has exceeded both its annual and seasonal average rainfall in the early days of September, with total rainfall crossing the 1,000 mm mark—well above the normal level—while residents enjoyed the cleanest air of the year so far on Friday.

The city was under a yellow alert until Friday afternoon, which has now been upgraded to an orange alert, according to the weather department.

On Friday, the city recorded 54 mm of rainfall in Palam, while the primary weather station at Safdarjung recorded 30.9 mm of rainfall within three hours, from 2.30 to 5.30 pm.

With this, the capital's total rainfall has reached 1,000 mm and the monsoon season is still active.

Extreme weather events are occurring in the national capital, as weather experts noted that during the entire monsoon season, Delhi typically receives nearly 650 mm of rainfall.

Delhi has also surpassed its monthly average rainfall, with 125.8 mm recorded in September—55 per cent higher than normal, according to official data.

In contrast, September 2023 saw below-average rainfall, with only 82.7 mm recorded -- 33 per cent lower than the normal amount.

Since Wednesday night, Delhi has received intermittent rain. The IMD department highlighted that the expected impacts of rain over Delhi-NCR include localised flooding of roads, waterlogging in low-lying areas and the closure of underpasses, along with occasional reductions in visibility due to heavy rainfall. An increase in travel time is also anticipated.

The weather department advised people to check for traffic congestion on their route before leaving for their destination, follow any traffic advisories issued and avoid staying in vulnerable structures.

Following the rain, the Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to 52, the lowest recorded this season.

Earlier last year, the AQI was recorded at 45 on September 10, 2023, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Additionally, after the rain, the maximum temperature recorded was 27.6 degrees C, six notches below normal, according to the weather department.

Relative humidity oscillated between 100 and 96 per cent during the day. The weather department has predicted a generally cloudy sky with very light to light rainfall for Saturday.

The capital will be in the green zone, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 32 and 21 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Orange alerts indicate extremely bad weather, warning of potential disruptions to transport, including rail, road, and air services. Power outages are also likely, as per the IMD's colour code.