Delhi weather update: National capital records coldest March day in 6 years with fog, AQI improves to 94
Chilly winds and thunderstorms lower temperatures as Delhi breathes cleaner air
- Mar 21, 2026,
- Updated Mar 21, 2026 9:16 AM IST
Delhi woke up to fog on Saturday as chilly winds kept the temperature low, following the city’s coldest March day in six years and the cleanest air day in five months on Friday. IMD Scientist Akhil Shrivastava said, "A large-scale thunderstorm activity is currently being witnessed across India. Rainfall in Delhi yesterday resulted in a significant drop in maximum temperatures."
He added, "While conditions are mainly cloudy today, they are expected to become partly cloudy tomorrow." The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 94, categorised as 'satisfactory', at 8 am on Saturday. The previous day saw a similar improvement with an AQI of 93.
On Friday, the Safdarjung station recorded a maximum temperature of 21.7 degrees Celsius, 9.6 degrees below normal, marking the coldest March day since March 8, 2020, when the mercury dropped to 21.2 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature on Friday was 16 degrees Celsius, 0.5 degrees below normal.
Friday was the first day since October 9, 2025, when the air quality was satisfactory, with the AQI then recorded at 99. The Air Quality Early Warning System forecasts moderate air quality from Saturday to March 23.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) standards, AQI values between 0-50 are 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects the minimum temperature on Saturday to be around 14 degrees Celsius and the maximum to reach 27 degrees Celsius. No rain was recorded in the morning, unlike Friday, when Delhi received 7 mm of precipitation.
Delhi’s average rainfall for March is 16.2 mm, making it the wettest March since 2023, when the average was 50.4 mm. Forecasts predict very light rain to return on Monday, accompanied by possible thunderstorms and lightning due to an active western disturbance.
Delhi woke up to fog on Saturday as chilly winds kept the temperature low, following the city’s coldest March day in six years and the cleanest air day in five months on Friday. IMD Scientist Akhil Shrivastava said, "A large-scale thunderstorm activity is currently being witnessed across India. Rainfall in Delhi yesterday resulted in a significant drop in maximum temperatures."
He added, "While conditions are mainly cloudy today, they are expected to become partly cloudy tomorrow." The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 94, categorised as 'satisfactory', at 8 am on Saturday. The previous day saw a similar improvement with an AQI of 93.
On Friday, the Safdarjung station recorded a maximum temperature of 21.7 degrees Celsius, 9.6 degrees below normal, marking the coldest March day since March 8, 2020, when the mercury dropped to 21.2 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature on Friday was 16 degrees Celsius, 0.5 degrees below normal.
Friday was the first day since October 9, 2025, when the air quality was satisfactory, with the AQI then recorded at 99. The Air Quality Early Warning System forecasts moderate air quality from Saturday to March 23.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) standards, AQI values between 0-50 are 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects the minimum temperature on Saturday to be around 14 degrees Celsius and the maximum to reach 27 degrees Celsius. No rain was recorded in the morning, unlike Friday, when Delhi received 7 mm of precipitation.
Delhi’s average rainfall for March is 16.2 mm, making it the wettest March since 2023, when the average was 50.4 mm. Forecasts predict very light rain to return on Monday, accompanied by possible thunderstorms and lightning due to an active western disturbance.