Light Rain Greets Delhi After Unseasonal Warmth, While Air Quality Remains Poor

Redaksi•Rabu, 18 Feb 2026, 09.55
Cloudy skies and light rain were forecast for Delhi as the city continued to report ‘poor’ air quality in several areas.

Light rain arrives after Delhi’s warmest day of the year so far

Residents of Delhi woke up to light rain on Wednesday, a notable shift in conditions just a day after the capital recorded its hottest day of the year so far. The maximum temperature on Tuesday reached 30.9 degrees Celsius, a level that stood out for mid-February and underscored the unusual warmth the city has been experiencing in recent days.

The change in weather brought some relief in terms of heat, but it did not immediately resolve another persistent concern: air pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the ‘poor’ category on Wednesday morning, reflecting continued elevated pollution levels across multiple parts of the city.

Air quality stays in the ‘poor’ category

At 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Delhi’s overall AQI was recorded at 228, placing it in the ‘poor’ category. This came a day after the city registered an AQI of 259 on Tuesday, which was also categorised as ‘poor’, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

While the overall citywide figure provides a snapshot of air quality, readings varied widely by location, with several pockets reporting higher levels of pollution than the average. The distribution of AQI readings suggested that the burden of poor air quality was not uniform across the capital, with some areas seeing significantly worse conditions.

Neighbourhood-level AQI readings show elevated pollution in many pockets

CPCB data from Wednesday indicated that a number of monitoring stations in Delhi recorded high AQI values. Among the locations listed, several were close to the upper end of the ‘poor’ range, and some were higher still, highlighting that pollution remained elevated in many parts of the city even as light rain was reported.

  • Anand Vihar: 285
  • Ashok Vihar: 264
  • Burari Crossing: 275
  • Chandni Chowk: 286
  • DTU: 249
  • Dwarka Sector 8: 187
  • IGI Airport (T3): under monitoring
  • ITO: 180
  • Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium: 187
  • Mundka: 309
  • Narela: 283
  • Okhla Phase-2: 242
  • Pusa: 152
  • R.K. Puram: 221
  • Rohini: 306
  • Shadipur: 296
  • Sonia Vihar: 294
  • Vivek Vihar: 284
  • Wazirpur: 336

The figures illustrate that even within the same city and on the same morning, residents may experience very different air quality conditions depending on where they live or commute. Several areas were close to 300 or above, reinforcing that pollution remained a key issue despite the presence of clouds and rain.

IMD forecast: light rain, gusty winds, and a yellow alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast very light to light rainfall for Wednesday, along with gusty winds expected during the afternoon. Wind speeds were predicted to range between 30 and 40 kilometres per hour, a factor that can influence how weather feels on the ground and how pollutants disperse across the region.

For temperatures, the IMD projected that the maximum and minimum would hover around 27 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees Celsius, respectively. Compared with Tuesday’s peak of 30.9 degrees Celsius, the forecast suggested a cooler day, even if still relatively mild for the season.

The IMD also issued a yellow alert for Delhi and indicated cloudy skies for the day. The forecast included the possibility of a spell of very light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places during the morning hours. Another spell of very light to light rain, also with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places, was expected towards the forenoon, along with gusty winds reaching 30–40 kmph. A further spell of very light rain was anticipated at isolated places during the afternoon.

Unusual warmth for mid-February

Delhi’s recent temperatures have stood out for mid-February. The city has been witnessing unusual warmth, with Monday (February 16) recording the highest temperature of the season so far, followed by Tuesday (February 17) when the mercury climbed further to 30.9 degrees Celsius.

According to the IMD’s assessment cited in the forecast context, Tuesday’s maximum was around 6.5 degrees Celsius above the normal average for this time of year, placing it among the warmer February days seen in recent weeks. The combination of unseasonal warmth followed by light rain and gusty winds reflects a shifting weather pattern over a short period.

Weather system likely to affect neighbouring regions

The IMD indicated that scattered showers were expected to extend beyond Delhi into parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan over the next few hours. This suggested that the same weather system influencing the capital could bring rainfall to several nearby areas as well.

For residents and travellers in the broader National Capital Region and surrounding states, the forecast pointed to a brief window of unsettled weather, including the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places, before conditions were expected to turn clearer in the days ahead in some locations.

Noida forecast: cloudy with light rain, then clearer skies

In Noida, the IMD forecast generally cloudy skies with light rain for Wednesday. Temperatures were expected to remain slightly lower than Delhi’s, with the maximum and minimum likely to be around 26 degrees Celsius and 11 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Looking ahead, the forecast for Noida indicated mainly clear skies for the next few days, implying that the midweek rain would be relatively short-lived before more stable conditions returned.

Gurugram forecast: partly cloudy with possible rain or thundershowers

Gurugram was also expected to see partly cloudy skies, with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers likely during the day. The IMD projected maximum and minimum temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees Celsius, respectively.

As with Noida, the outlook for Gurugram suggested clearer skies in the coming days, indicating that the immediate period of cloudiness and rain would not necessarily persist for long.

Areas expected to receive light rainfall in the next few hours

The IMD further stated that light rainfall was very likely over parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan over the next two hours. The agency listed multiple locations where rainfall was expected, pointing to a broad spread of activity across districts and towns in the region.

  • Haryana: Sonipat, Kharkhoda, Charkhi Dadri, Mattanhail, Jhajjar, Farukhnagar, Kosali, Mahendargarh, Sohna, Rewari, Palwal, Narnaul, Bawal, Nuh, Aurangabad, Hodal
  • Uttar Pradesh: Bagpat, Khekra, Modinagar, Pilakhua
  • Rajasthan: Bhiwari, Tizara, Khairthal, Alwar, Viratnagar, Nagar, Laxmangarh, Rajgarh

In addition, the IMD said very light rainfall or drizzle was likely in several other locations across the same states, expanding the list of places where residents could experience damp conditions or brief showers.

  • Haryana: Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Narwana, Karnal, Fatehabad, Assandh, Safidon, Barwala, Jind, Panipat, Adampur, Gohana, Gannaur, Hansi, Tosham, Rohtak
  • Uttar Pradesh: Shamli, Kandhla, Khatauli, Sakoti Tanda, Hastinapur, Baraut, Daurala, Meerut, Kithor, Garhmukteshwar, Hapur, Gulaoti, Siyana, Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar, Khurja, Jattari, Nandgaon, Barsana
  • Rajasthan: Kotputli, Deeg

What the day’s mix of rain, wind, and pollution means for residents

Wednesday’s outlook for Delhi combined several elements: light rain, the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places, and gusty winds later in the day. At the same time, air quality readings showed that pollution remained elevated across many neighbourhoods, with the overall AQI staying in the ‘poor’ category during the morning.

The temperature forecast suggested a cooler day compared with Tuesday’s 30.9 degrees Celsius, but the broader context remains one of unusual warmth for mid-February. With a yellow alert in place and clouds expected to persist through spells of rain, the day was set to be more changeable than the preceding hot and dry conditions.

Beyond Delhi, the IMD’s guidance pointed to a wider regional impact across parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, with light rainfall and drizzle likely in numerous towns and districts. For Noida and Gurugram, the forecast similarly emphasised cloud cover and light rain or thundershowers during the day, followed by clearer skies over the next few days.

As conditions evolve through the day, local variations are likely to remain important—both in terms of rainfall intensity and in terms of air quality—given the differences seen across monitoring stations. The combination of weather changes and persistent pollution levels underscores how quickly day-to-day conditions can shift in the region during this period.