New Delhi: Delhi is set for a spell of clear weather this week, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting sunny skies and a gradual rise in daytime temperatures.
On Sunday, the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 36 degrees Celsius, while the minimum may settle at 25 degrees Celsius.
The IMD said mostly clear conditions are expected to continue through the week, marking the withdrawal phase of the southwest monsoon from northwestern India. Earlier this month, brief monsoon showers had provided some respite from the intense heat and humidity, but with rainfall tapering off, Delhi is likely to return to warmer, drier conditions.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘moderate’ category. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 123 at 8 am on Sunday. The 24-hour average AQI for September 21 had stood at 131.
Air quality levels varied across the National Capital Region (NCR). Gurugram recorded an AQI of 121, while Noida stood at 144. Greater Noida saw higher pollution levels at 194, edging close to the ‘poor’ category, and Ghaziabad registered 174. According to CPCB standards, an AQI between 101 and 200 is considered ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, and values above 300 progressively more hazardous.
The IMD also outlined the current progress of monsoon withdrawal. As of Sunday, the withdrawal line passes through Bhatinda, Fatehabad, Pilani, Ajmer, Deesa, and Bhuj. Meteorologists said conditions are favourable for further withdrawal from several regions, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir, in the coming three to four days. For Delhi residents, the end of monsoon means
a shift towards the typical dry, warm September conditions before cooler weather sets in by late October.