NEW DELHI: The Capital is witnessing an unseasonably cool spell, with temperatures dipping well below normal for early October. According to the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) latest bulletin, the maximum temperature at Safdarjung on Wednesday settled at 26.5 degrees Celsius—a sharp 7.7 degrees Celsius below normal—while the minimum stood at 20.3 degrees Celsius, about a notch lower than usual.
Similar readings were recorded across Delhi-NCR, with Palam reporting a maximum of 25 degrees Celsius and Ridge 26.9 degrees Celsius. Intermittent rainfall over the past two days, totalling around 14.6 mm at Safdarjung, has kept humidity levels high and the air fresh. The city logged an air quality index (AQI) of 81 on Wednesday—categorised as “satisfactory”—a rare occurrence for this time of the year, when the pollution levels typically begin to climb.
Meteorologists attributed the unusual chill and continued wet spell to a strong western disturbance lingering over east Haryana and adjoining areas, coupled with the gradual withdrawal of the southwest monsoon. Vishwas Chitale, Fellow, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, said, “Even as the southwest monsoon withdraws, northwest India continues to see significant weather activity due to a strong western disturbance.
While the rainfall intensity is expected to reduce after October 7, the IMD forecasts that overall October rainfall will be above normal— around 115% of the longperiod average.”
The IMD said skies over Delhi will turn mainly clear from Thursday, with maximum temperatures gradually rising to around 33–35 degrees Celsius over the next few days. The minimum temperature is expected to hover around 20–22 degrees Celsius.
For now, the combination of lower temperatures, clean air and light westerly winds has offered residents a brief reprieve from the usual October smog and heat. With monsoon withdrawal nearly complete across north India, this spell marks the seasonal transition toward clearer skies and drier conditions, a brief window of comfort before the onset of winter chill and worsening air quality later this month.
