Delhi-NCR weather today: National capital wakes up to light shower amid cold wave; IMD predicts thunderstorms

Light rain lashed several parts of the national capital on Friday morning, as a layer of fog covered the city, resulting in reduced visibility. As per the India Meteorological Department, the lowest recorded temperature on Friday is 12 degrees Celsius while the maximum temperature is 20 degrees Celsius. 

The IMD has predicted a "thunderstorm with rain" for Delhi on Friday and Saturday. With this, more showers are expected to drizzle over the city. A local resident, Deepak Pandey said, "The weather has become good and it feels like Kashmir. The weather has become so pleasant and one could travel in it. It is cold, but the rain has decreased the level of pollution." 

A tourist from Madhya Pradesh, Raman Kushwaha said, "It is cold. Light rain has occurred but it's good to visit places in this weather. Pollution has also decreased."

Visuals from Kartavya Path showed the drizzle bringing pleasant weather along with dense fog in the area. Meanwhile, the air quality index in the city remained in the 'very poor' category with an AQI of 371, as of 7 am, according to the data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). As of 7 am, the AQI measured at Anand Vihar is 398, IGI Airport (T3) is 340, Aya Nagar is 360, Lodhi Road is 345, ITO is 380, Chandani Chowk is 315 and Punjabi Bagh is 386. 

The Central government's air quality monitoring panel on Tuesday revoked Stage IV ('Severe+') measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) following an improvement in air quality.However, actions under Stages I, II, and III will remain in force to prevent any further deterioration of air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced on December 24. 

The decision came after Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) improved on December 24. The improvement in air quality was attributed to favourable meteorological conditions, including improved wind speed, according to forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).In line with the Supreme Court's directives, Stage IV measures were initially invoked when AQI levels breached the 400 mark on December 16.

The measures were aimed at curbing severe pollution levels and included restrictions on industrial activities, construction, and entry of non-essential trucks into Delhi.The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is a set of emergency measures implemented in Delhi-NCR to tackle air pollution based on the severity of the Air Quality Index (AQI). 

(ANI)