Light rain cools Delhi as IMD issues yellow alert, predicts early arrival of monsoon by June 22

A brief spell of rain swept across parts of Delhi on Saturday, bringing momentary relief from the heat. Localities in south, southeast, and west Delhi recorded showers, with weather officials forecasting more intense activity through the evening.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert, signaling residents to stay vigilant amid forecasts of light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30 to 40 kmph in late afternoon. Areas likely to be affected include Rajouri Garden, Patel Nagar, Dwarka, Rohini, Malviya Nagar, Lodhi Road, the IGI Airport, and several other locations across Delhi and the NCR.

A senior IMD official confirmed that thunderstorms and heavy rain are expected later Saturday night, potentially offering sustained respite from the ongoing heat. The southwest monsoon is now set to arrive in Delhi, as well as parts of Haryana and Punjab, by June 22 — significantly ahead of the usual onset date of June 30.

Forecasts suggest that between June 20 and June 25, widespread rainfall is expected across northwestern India. This includes Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, eastern Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

On Saturday, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 26.8°C, slightly below the seasonal average. The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 35°C.

The city's air quality showed improvement, with an AQI reading of 82 at 9 am, placing it in the "satisfactory" category according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). An AQI between 51 and 100 is deemed satisfactory, while readings above that mark varying degrees of pollution severity.