Pre-monsoon activity is set to begin in North India, according to the weather agency Skymet, with Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana likely to experience dust storms, thunderstorms with rain, and hail over the next few days. This comes after several areas in Rajasthan recorded temperatures above 40°C, while Delhi has seen the mercury hover around 37°C. This increasing heat has triggered the onset of pre-monsoon activity.
Weather experts predict that thunderstorms and dust storms may begin in northern Rajasthan from March 14, followed by strong winds, rainfall, and scattered hail in Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi-NCR around March 15. Delhi experienced a slight decrease in heat on Friday (March 13), with the maximum temperature reaching 32.6 degrees Celsius, 3.7 degrees above normal, and the city’s air quality improved to the ‘moderate’ category, with an AQI of 186. This drop in temperature was welcomed, as the city felt the heat creeping in on Thursday, recording a high of 35.8 degrees Celsius.
Delhi Weather Today: March 14
For Saturday, the weather office has forecast a partly clear sky, with the maximum temperature expected to settle around 33 degrees Celsius. This comes as Friday began with a warm morning, where the minimum temperature was recorded at 20.4 degrees Celsius, 5.3 degrees above normal and the highest for the year, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Also Read | After Hottest Day of the Year, Will Rain Bring Relief in NCR? IMD Predicts
According to IMD, on March 15, Delhi-NCR is expected to receive rainfall, which will lead to a further drop in temperatures. Daytime temperatures are forecast to hover around 32 to 35 degrees Celsius, while nighttime lows may fall to 16–17 degrees Celsius. Looking ahead to March 16, 17, 18, and 19, the region is likely to remain mostly cloudy.
Delhi AQI Today
On the air quality front, the city’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 189 on Friday. According to the CPCB’s SAMEER app, during the evening hours, 15 stations were categorised as ‘poor’, while 31 stations fell into the ‘moderate’ category.
The CPCB classifies an AQI of 0 to 50 as ‘good’, 51 to 100 as ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 as ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 as ‘poor’, 301 to 400 as ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 as ‘severe’.
In the morning hours, the air quality was also recorded in the ‘moderate’ category at 9 am, with an AQI reading of 184, CPCB data showed.
