An orange alert has been issued for Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut and other NCR cities, warning of rain, thunderstorms and possible hailstorms in the next three hours. Weather officials said moderate storms with lightning and strong winds are expected. Wind speeds may range between 30–40 kmph, with gusts touching 50 kmph in some places.
The alert also covers several districts of western Uttar Pradesh, including Agra, Aligarh, Amroha, Bulandshahr, Etah, Etawah, Firozabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Hapur, Hathras, Jalaun, Kasganj, Mainpuri, Mathura and Sambhal. People have been advised to stay indoors, avoid open spaces during lightning, and take steps to protect crops, vehicles and loose items.
Rain hits parts of Delhi earlier
Earlier in the day, parts of Delhi witnessed light to moderate rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for some areas and an orange alert for others, warning of continued rain and possible disruption. These alerts were valid until 1:30 PM, and commuters were advised to remain cautious.
Rain likely to improve AQI
The rainfall is expected to bring some relief from the poor air quality in the national capital. On Tuesday morning, Delhi’s air quality slipped back into the ‘very poor’ category, with an AQI of 310, according to the CPCB’s Sameer app. This came just days after a brief improvement following a long spell of rain earlier this week.
Gurugram also reported very poor air quality, with an AQI of 303. Out of four monitoring stations in the city, two recorded moderate air quality, one showed very poor levels, while data from one station was not available.
Cold nights continue in Delhi
Delhi continues to experience cold nights. Safdarjung and Palam recorded minimum temperatures of 4.2 and 4.3 degrees Celsius, both more than four degrees below normal. IMD data showed that no rainfall was recorded at weather stations during the day. The IMD expects the minimum temperature to stay around 9 degrees Celsius, while the maximum may reach about 19 degrees Celsius. With cloud cover and rain forecast, the day may feel colder than usual.
Weekly weather outlook for Delhi
- January 27: Rain or thundershowers with strong gusty winds; minimum temperature around 9°C
- January 28: Moderate fog in the morning; minimum temperature near 12°C
- January 29: Moderate fog during early hours; minimum temperature around 9°C
- January 30: Morning fog likely; temperatures between 9°C and 19°C
- January 31: Moderate fog in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram and Ghaziabad; minimum around 9°C
- February 1: Morning fog expected; minimum near 9°C, maximum around 21°C
