Delhi weather today: Rain, lightning and winds up to 60 Kmph likely on Sunday, says IMD

Delhi is likely to witness another spell of rain and thunderstorms on Sunday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for the national capital and forecasting gusty winds of up to 60 kmph during the evening hours. The weather department has predicted that residents may experience very light to light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and strong surface winds, extending the spell of relatively pleasant weather that has brought relief from the intense heat seen earlier this month. "A spell of very light to light rain, accompanied by thunderstorm, lightning and strong surface winds of speed 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph towards the evening is possible on Sunday," an IMD official said. According to the forecast, Delhi's maximum temperature is expected to remain between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius on Sunday, while the minimum temperature is likely to hover between 22 and 24 degrees Celsius. Yellow Alert Continues After Rainy Saturday The yellow alert remains in force after several parts of Delhi received light to moderate rainfall on Saturday, accompanied by strong winds. Weather stations across the city recorded varying amounts of rainfall between 2.30 pm and 5.30 pm. Safdarjung recorded 0.9 mm of rain, Lodhi Road received 3.8 mm, Ridge recorded 0.4 mm, Ayanagar registered 0.2 mm and Mayur Vihar logged 4 mm of rainfall. Palam reported trace rainfall during the same period. Strong winds were also recorded at multiple locations. According to IMD data, Palam witnessed wind speeds touching 70 kmph at 4.02 pm, while Pragati Maidan and Pusa recorded gusts of 59 kmph and 54 kmph, respectively. Safdarjung reported wind speeds of 38 kmph. Also Read | Orange alert in Delhi; rain lashes several NCR areas Temperatures Dip Across The Capital The recent rain activity contributed to a noticeable drop in temperatures across Delhi. Safdarjung, the city's base weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 24.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday, which was two degrees below normal and 0.7 degrees lower than the previous day. The station had recorded a minimum temperature of 25.3 degrees Celsius on Friday and 28.4 degrees Celsius on Thursday, indicating a steady cooling trend. The maximum temperature at Safdarjung settled at 37.2 degrees Celsius, 3.2 degrees below normal. Other weather stations also reported lower minimum temperatures. Palam recorded 21.5 degrees Celsius, Lodhi Road reported 23.2 degrees Celsius, while Ridge and Ayanagar recorded minimum temperatures of 22.3 degrees Celsius and 22.6 degrees Celsius, respectively. Delhi Records Cleanest May In Five Years The improvement in weather conditions also had a positive impact on air quality. According to data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Delhi recorded its cleanest May in five years in 2026, with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 161 up to May 29. Also Read | Bengaluru's waterlogging problem back in spotlight after viral Reddit post The city had recorded an average AQI of 170 in May 2025 and 223 in May 2024. The last cleaner May was recorded in 2021, when the monthly average AQI stood at 144. On Saturday, Delhi's 24-hour average AQI improved to 85, placing it in the "satisfactory" category. It marked the city's fourth satisfactory air quality day this month and the cleanest day in May since 2023, when an AQI of 76 was recorded on May 2. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) standards, AQI values between 51 and 100 are categorised as satisfactory. Experts attributed the improvement in air quality to intermittent rainfall and strong winds, which helped disperse pollutants and wash particulate matter out of the atmosphere. A Month Of Weather Extremes The pleasant conditions at the end of May stand in contrast to the extreme weather Delhi witnessed earlier in the month. The capital recorded its hottest May in two years, with an average maximum temperature of 39.7 degrees Celsius and an average minimum temperature of 25.8 degrees Celsius. Heatwave conditions prevailed between May 18 and May 21, with temperatures crossing 46 degrees Celsius in some parts of the city. Delhi also experienced unusually warm nights. The minimum temperature touched 32.8 degrees Celsius on May 26 and 31.9 degrees Celsius on May 21, among the highest night-time temperatures recorded in the city in the past 14 years. Meteorologists attributed the dramatic swings in weather to a combination of western disturbances, induced cyclonic circulations over Rajasthan and adjoining regions, and moisture-laden winds from the Bay of Bengal. No Immediate Heatwave Threat Looking ahead, weather experts do not expect heatwave conditions to return during the first week of June. Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather said that while temperatures may gradually rise as the current spell of rain weakens and moves away from the region, no heatwave conditions are expected in the coming days. The Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) has me