Delhi experienced an exceptional weather event on Saturday, recording 41.2 mm of rain in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day December rainfall in 101 years. The previous record was set on December 3, 1923, with 75.7 mm.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this rainfall made December 2024 the fifth-wettest in the city’s history since 1901. The total rainfall this month has reached 42.8 mm, making it the wettest December since 1997.
Recent continuous rain is due to an active western disturbance interacting with easterly winds. This system has caused light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms across North West and Central India, including Delhi. The weather department issued a yellow alert for Saturday, forecasting light to moderate rain and dense fog.
Delhi woke up to rain and an overcast sky on Saturday with a minimum temperature of 12.7°C, six degrees above average. The city’s air quality improved to’moderate,’ with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 152 at 9 am.
This December’s rainfall in the city has been the heaviest in decades. On Friday, Safdarjung, Delhi’s primary weather observatory, recorded 30.2 mm of rain in nine hours. Other stations, including Pusa, Delhi University, and Lodhi Road, saw significant rainfall, with Pusa logging 35 mm and Delhi University 39 mm.
This unexpected downpour has uprooted trees and damaged roads in several parts of the city. In RK Puram and Sector-9, roads have caved in, causing vehicles to fall into the affected spots.
The IMD forecasts continued rain for the next few days, with possible dense fog and reduced visibility across Delhi and the NCR. The weather department issued similar warnings for Sunday and Monday, advising residents to stay alert.
As the city experiences unusual weather, experts are closely watching the evolving conditions. The IMD has highlighted that the interaction of weather systems has led to an unseasonal and extraordinary weather pattern for Delhi in December.
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