Delhi witnessed its wettest January day in two years on Friday, January 24, 2026, with rainfall measuring 19.8 mm at Safdarjung. This significant precipitation event marked the city's first rain of the year, bringing much-needed relief from the winter chill and dramatically improving air quality across the National Capital Region.
Temperature Plummets Across Delhi-NCR
The rainfall and accompanying gusty winds caused a sharp decline in daytime temperatures throughout Delhi and its neighboring areas. Delhi's maximum temperature settled at 16 degrees Celsius, representing a substantial drop of nearly 11 degrees from previous days. This reading stands as the lowest day temperature for January since January 10, 2024, when the mercury had touched 15.2 degrees Celsius.
Regional Temperature Variations
Neighboring cities experienced similar temperature declines. Noida reported a day temperature of 14.5 degrees Celsius with a minimum of 14 degrees, while Gurgaon recorded a maximum of 16.8 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 14.1 degrees. The widespread cooling effect was felt across the entire region as the western disturbance made its presence known.
Air Quality Shows Dramatic Improvement
The rainfall brought immediate and significant improvements to Delhi's air quality, which had been suffering through poor conditions in recent weeks. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) improved to 282 in the 'Poor' category, a notable enhancement from Thursday's reading of 322 in the 'Very Poor' range. This marked a welcome change after the city had endured two consecutive days of 'Severe' air quality.
NCR Cities Follow Similar Pattern
Other cities in the National Capital Region mirrored Delhi's air quality improvement. Noida saw its AQI plunge to 270 (Poor) from 335 (Very Poor) the previous day, while Gurgaon recorded an AQI of 227 (Poor), a substantial improvement from 366 (Very Poor) on Thursday. The cleansing effect of the rain was evident across the metropolitan area.
Rainfall Distribution and Wind Patterns
The India Meteorological Department reported very light to light rain across many parts of the Capital, accompanied by winds reaching 30–40 kmph. Various weather stations recorded significant rainfall amounts: Palam received 20.1 mm, Lodhi Road 13.4 mm, Ridge 17.4 mm, Aya Nagar 11.5 mm, Pitampura 11 mm, Mayur Vihar 8.5 mm, and Janakpuri received 14.5 mm.
Wind Speed Measurements
Wind gusts were particularly strong at several locations. Palam Airport recorded gusts up to 37 kmph, Jafarpur up to 33 kmph, while Pragati Maidan and Salwan Public School station both recorded gusts reaching 31 kmph. These strong winds contributed significantly to the dispersal of pollutants and the overall weather transformation.
Western Disturbance Drives Weather Change
Senior IMD officials attributed the dramatic weather shift to an active western disturbance, a weather system that brings moisture-laden winds from the Mediterranean region to Northwest India. This system typically leads to rain, cloud cover, and strong winds during winter months, exactly what Delhi experienced on Friday.
Minimum Temperature Paradox
Interestingly, while maximum temperatures dropped significantly, minimum temperatures actually rose due to the cloud cover associated with the western disturbance. The Capital recorded a minimum temperature of 13 degrees Celsius, representing an increase of about five degrees compared to Thursday. Several weather stations, including CRPF Campus, Jafarpur, Lodhi Road, and Hindon, recorded jumps of over 8 degrees Celsius by 5:30 am.
Air Quality Variations Across Stations
While overall air quality improved dramatically, variations existed between different monitoring stations. Pusa recorded the cleanest air with an AQI of 179 in the 'Moderate' category, while Wazirpur remained the most polluted area with an AQI of 328 in the 'Very Poor' range. Other stations including IGI Airport, Lodhi Road, Mandir Marg, and NSIT Dwarka also reported 'Moderate' air quality readings.
Weather Forecast and Air Quality Outlook
According to IMD forecasts, Delhi is likely to experience generally cloudy skies on Saturday with shallow to moderate fog during morning hours. Strong surface winds reaching speeds of 10–20 kmph are expected to continue. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune predicts that air quality will remain in the 'Moderate' category on Saturday before turning 'Poor' on Sunday, with fluctuations between 'Poor' and 'Very Poor' expected in the following days.
This weather event represents the most significant January rainfall Delhi has seen since January 30, 2023, when the city received 20.44 mm of precipitation. The combination of substantial rainfall, temperature changes, and air quality improvements marks a notable weather episode for the National Capital Region as it navigates the winter season.
