New Delhi, January 24, 2026
After witnessing early signs of rising warmth in January, rainfall across Delhi-NCR has put a sudden brake on increasing temperatures, bringing back winter-like conditions in the national capital.
On Thursday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature above 27°C, marking one of the warmest January days in recent years. However, following continuous rainfall, the mercury dropped sharply by nearly 11 degrees, settling at around 16°C, leading to a noticeable chill across the region.
🌧️ Rainfall Brings Back Winter Chill
Rain began late Thursday night and continued intermittently until Friday evening, making it the second rainfall event of the season. Earlier, light showers were recorded on January 9.
According to official data, 13.2 mm of rainfall was recorded across Delhi by 5:30 pm on Friday.
Ridge area: 17.4 mm
Palam: 14 mm
The rain, combined with cold winds and increased humidity, resulted in a significant drop in temperatures and a return of wintry conditions.
🌬️ Strong Winds, Dark Skies Across the Capital
Strong winds that began late Thursday night continued through Friday. Dense cloud cover made the skies unusually dark, with conditions resembling evening hours as early as 9 am, and again after 4 pm.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier predicted snowfall in hilly regions and rainfall in plains due to an active western disturbance, which has now materialized.
❄️ IMD Forecast: Colder Days Ahead
The IMD has forecast that maximum temperatures will remain below 20°C until January 26, while minimum temperatures are expected to dip back into single digits.
January 24–26: Minimum temperature likely between 6°C and 8°C
Saturday: Cloudy skies with winds up to 20 km/h
January 25–26: Partly cloudy conditions
January 27: Possibility of light rainfall
🔥 One Day Earlier: Warmest January Day in Six Years
Just a day before the rain, Thursday marked the warmest January day in six years, with Delhi recording a maximum temperature of 27.1°C.
Historical comparison:
January 21, 2019: 28.7°C
January 31, 2025: 27°C
All-time January record: 30.0°C on January 29, 1991
📊 Temperature Trend Since January 12
| Date | Max (°C) | Min (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 12 | 20.0 | 3.2 |
| Jan 13 | 21.6 | 3.0 |
| Jan 14 | 20.0 | 3.8 |
| Jan 15 | 19.5 | 2.9 |
| Jan 16 | 22.5 | 4.3 |
| Jan 17 | 24.6 | 4.4 |
| Jan 19 | 26.7 | 7.7 |
| Jan 20 | 25.7 | 7.2 |
| Jan 21 | 24.2 | 7.7 |
| Jan 22 | 27.1 | 6.3 |
🌫️ Delhi AQI Improves Slightly but Remains ‘Poor’
Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 282 on Friday, placing it in the ‘Poor’ category, though it showed an improvement of 40 points compared to Thursday.
NCR AQI Levels:
Ghaziabad: 278
Noida: 270
Greater Noida: 249
Gurugram: 227
Faridabad: 216 (cleanest in NCR, yet still ‘Poor’)
According to the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management, vehicle emissions accounted for 10.65% of pollution on Friday. As per the CPCB, winds blew from the northeast at 10 km/h, with a maximum mixing height of 850 meters, aiding partial dispersion of pollutants.
