Delhi experienced its heaviest rainfall in 101 years between Friday and Saturday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The city recorded 41.2 mm of rain over 24 hours, from 8:30 AM Friday to 8:30 AM Saturday. This was the highest rainfall in December since 1923, when 75.7 mm was recorded.
This year’s December rainfall also stands as the heaviest since 1997, surpassing the 71.8 mm recorded in that year. The unusual weather was caused by the interaction of an active western disturbance and a cyclonic circulation, which led to rainfall across northern and central India.
While rain in December is not uncommon, it is usually light. IMD data shows that Delhi typically sees just 8 mm of rain in December over half a day. The recent rainfall was more than five times that amount.
An IMD scientist explained that the clash between a very active western disturbance and a cyclonic circulation brought the heavy downpour. He noted that while November and December are typically the driest months in Delhi, this clash caused unusual weather patterns. Another western disturbance is expected around January 1, but it is unlikely to bring rain.
The minimum temperature recorded early on Saturday was 12.7°C at the Safdarjung weather station, which was 5.9°C above normal. Although IMD issued an ‘orange’ alert on Friday, predicting isolated hailstorms late at night, the weather calmed down by Saturday morning. No significant rain alerts are expected for the coming week.
By Saturday afternoon, the city’s air quality index (AQI) improved from very poor to moderate. This improvement is attributed to the rainfall and a slight increase in wind speed.
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