Delhi-NCR Sees Hail, Rain, and AQI Improvement

On Tuesday evening, parts of Delhi and nearby cities like Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad experienced a hailstorm.

This weather event was so strong that it even covered some areas in Haryana and Punjab with a thick layer of ice, making it look like snow.

The hailstorm started around 5 pm and was caused by a strong weather system called a Western Disturbance.

The rain helped improve the air quality in Delhi, which had been very poor.

Farmers in Punjab are worried about the damage to their wheat and mustard crops.

Meanwhile, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, light rain and chilly winds caused a significant drop in temperature.

The daytime temperature in Gwalior fell to 21°C from previously 26-27°C.

Meteorologists believe the change was caused due to snowfall in hilly regions affecting the plains.

The weather is expected to be cooler than usual for the next few days, with temperatures ranging from 18 to 20 degrees during the day and 8 to 11 degrees at night.

On Wednesday, Delhi saw its wettest January morning in four years, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) improving to 266 in the 'very poor' category.

The city recorded 24 mm of rain so far this month, the highest January total since 2022.

The maximum temperature at Safdarjung was 16.9°C, which was 5.2°C below normal, while the minimum was 8.0°C, 0.4°C below normal.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rain or thundershowers accompanied by strong gusty winds throughout the day.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has revoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR due to the improvement in air quality.