Delhi records coldest October day since 1951, cleanest air for month in over a decade
Delhi witnessed an unusually cold October day on Friday, October 30, with the maximum temperature at Safdarjung plunging to 20.7 degrees Celsius, the lowest recorded for the month since 1951. This comes a day after Delhi recorded its coldest October day in four years.Top four coldest October days since 1951 are October 25, 1975 (21.5 degrees Celsius), October 31, 1961 (21.9 degree Celsius, October 18, 1971 (22.1 degree Celsius), and October 1, 1954 (22.2 degree Celsius).The interaction of a western disturbance with Cyclone Arnab brought isolated spells of rainfall across the city and in adjoining areas, including Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, Noida and Haryana's Gurugram.
The rain resulted in a sharp drop in maximum temperatures. Also Read | Overnight shower brings down Delhi's temperature, coldest October day in 4 years; more rain likely todayDelhi weather breaks multiple recordsCleanest October air in ten yearsDelhi also recorded its cleanest October air in more than a decade. The national capital recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 167 this October, the lowest for the month since 2015, according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).Sixth-wettest October day since 1951The Safdarjung observatory, the primary and official reference weather station for New Delhi, recorded 61.4 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Friday.
This was the sixth-highest 24-hour rainfall recorded in October at the observatory since 1951.The highest 24-hour rainfall for October at Safdarjung remains 172.7 mm, recorded on October 1, 1954. The second-highest was 110.9 mm on October 9, 1956, followed by 87.9 mm on October 18, 2021.Also Read | Delhi braces for another wet day, red alert on for rain and thunderstormsFourth-wettest October in over 75 yearsFriday’s rainfall also pushed Safdarjung’s cumulative October precipitation to 123.3 mm, making October 2026 the fourth-wettest October at the observatory since 1951, based on rainfall recorded up to October 30.The wettest October remains 1954, when Safdarjung received 238.3 mm of rainfall, followed by 236.2 mm in 1956 and 128.6 mm in 2022.The minimum temperature at Safdarjung stood at 17.2 degrees Celsius on Friday, 1.1 degrees above normal, according to the IMD.The rainfall and overcast conditions brought a significant change in Delhi’s weather, with the capital experiencing a distinctly wintry feel towards the end of October.
