Delhi Logs Coolest August Day in 14 Years Amid Torrential Rainfall

Relentless rainfall in the national capital on Saturday pulled the mercury down to an unseasonably low 26.4°C, the coolest August day recorded in Delhi in the past 14 years. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature was 7.8 degrees below normal, while the minimum settled at 23.8°C, 3.2 degrees below average.

The rainfall, which began around midnight on Friday, persisted through Saturday, leaving several parts of the city waterlogged and disrupting flight operations. Over 180 flights were delayed and four were cancelled due to poor visibility and operational constraints.

Delhi’s main weather station at Safdarjung recorded 78.7 mm of rain in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Saturday. Other locations also saw heavy showers, Pragati Maidan received 100 mm, Lodhi Road 80 mm, Pusa 69 mm, and Palam 31.8 mm.

Since the onset of the monsoon on June 1, Delhi has received 509.22 mm of rainfall, with June witnessing 45% above-normal precipitation and July recording 24% more than average. Remarkably, rain was reported on all days of July except for the 20th and 21st.

The wet spell actually began earlier this year, with May, typically the peak of summer, turning out to be the wettest since record-keeping began in 1901. That month, the capital received 186.4 mm of rain, surpassing the previous record of 165 mm set in May 2008. This unusual weather pattern has resulted in a milder summer and an extended monsoon season.

The IMD has predicted cloudy skies and more rain for Sunday. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh remains on alert, with heavy rainfall forecast across the state in the coming days. An orange alert has been issued for August 11 and 12 in three districts, while the rest of the state is under a yellow alert.

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