Rain lowers temperature, Delhi records first 'good' air quality of the year

Delhi experienced humid conditions with a minimum temperature of 23.5°C, two notches below average. Relative humidity stood at 90 per cent at 8:30 am on Monday morning.

Rain and cool winds in Delhi brought down the temperature by five notches, with a high of 28.3°C on Sunday. At 10 am Delhi's air quality index (AQI) stood at 45. Rain and cool winds on the previous day had lowered the temperature and significantly improved the air quality, registering the best air quality of the year, with an AQI of 45, in the 'good' category. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), this also made it the cleanest air quality recorded this year.

The minimum temperature was 23.5°C, two notches below average. According to agency reports, various observatories recorded rainfall ranging from 0.2 mm to 7.5 mm. Moreover, humidity levels ranged from 86 per cent to 100 per cent.

Today, there were reports of waterlogging in five areas and trees being uprooted in 16 locations. The weather forecast predicts generally cloudy skies with the possibility of light rain or drizzle in a few places, with temperatures ranging from 32°C to 24°C. The air quality is expected to remain 'satisfactory' from Monday to Wednesday.

Lt Governor VK Saxena thanked the rain for improving the AQI, making the G20 Summit's stay more pleasant.

These reports come after this year's month of August was the driest ever recorded since 1901.

While the rainfall is a positive sign, even if the rainfall in September is towards the higher end of the band (say around 109 per cent of the LPA), the seasonal rains would be "below normal", according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), as reported by Business Standard earlier.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe"'.