India, April 30 -- Delhi witnessed a striking mix of weather conditions in April this year, with spells of rain, bouts of heat and occasional days of cleaner air, making it the wettest April in over a decade, among the least polluted, and one of the coolest in recent years. The city recorded its wettest April in 18 years, with pre-monsoon showers lashing parts of the capital, particularly in the first half of the month. So far, Delhi has received 27.9 mm of rainfall this April, compared to 38.6 mm recorded in April 2008, according to official data. Despite phases of intense heat, the capital also logged one of its coolest Aprils in two years, with an average maximum temperature of around 37 degrees Celsius. Notably, only one heatwave day has been recorded so far, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Also Read - Delhi logs 7,800 fire calls in 2026 The rainfall, coupled with gusty winds, also helped improve air quality, making this April the cleanest in four years, according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The city recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 179 till April 28, with one "satisfactory", 17 "moderate" and 10 "poor" air quality days. In comparison, the average AQI for April last year stood at 210, with 10 "moderate" and 20 "poor" days. In 2024, the AQI averaged 182, while in 2023 it was 180. The highest recent April pollution levels were seen in 2022, when the AQI touched 255, with most days falling in the "poor" category. Also Read - Retd engineer duped of over Rs 10 cr in 'digital arrest' scam; CBI takes over case Experts attributed the improved air quality and lower temperatures to early pre-monsoon activity. "Pre-monsoon showers between March 15 and April 15 helped keep temperatures in check. Even though temperatures rose later, the overall average remained lower," said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather. Even towards the end of the month, the city saw a noticeable dip in temperatures. On Wednesday, Safdarjung recorded a maximum of 37.1 degrees Celsius, 1.9 degrees below normal, while the minimum dropped sharply to 20.4 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degrees below normal. Similar trends were observed across Palam, Lodhi Road and Ridge, all recording below-normal temperatures. Also Read - AAP's Durgesh Pathak refuses to appear before Justice Kanta Sharma Ayanagar remained the warmest location, with a maximum of 39.5 degrees Celsius, close to normal levels. The IMD has forecast generally cloudy skies with very light to light rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching up to 50 kmph in the coming days. The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 36 degrees Celsius, with further dips in minimum temperatures. While skies are likely to clear briefly on May 1 and 2, another western disturbance may bring thunderstorms and rain between May 3 and 5. Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality remained in the "moderate" category, with an AQI of 183, as per the Central Pollution Control Board.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.