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Waterlogged roads and heavy rain create challenges for Delhi commuters
New Delhi: The national capital witnessed another spell of rain on Friday as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgraded its weather warning for Delhi to a red alert, signalling the possibility of intense rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms.
The latest weather development came after rain swept across several parts of Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) during the afternoon. The IMD subsequently intensified its warning for Delhi, while neighbouring Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh were placed under an orange alert.
According to the latest IMD nowcast available around 3:30 pm, Noida and Ghaziabad were likely to experience further rainfall. Gurugram, however, did not figure under a corresponding warning in the update.
The weather agency's warning comes amid heightened rainfall activity across the capital region, raising concerns over waterlogging, traffic disruptions and difficulties for commuters if intense showers persist.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 25.5°C on Friday at Palam, marginally above the seasonal normal. Lodhi Road recorded 27.6°C, while the Ridge registered a minimum of 23.7°C. Ayanagar recorded 27°C.
The maximum temperature in the capital was expected to remain around 32°C, while relative humidity stood at approximately 75% during the morning.
Rainfall observations from different monitoring stations indicated that showers were not uniformly distributed across the city. Palam recorded 3.4 mm of rainfall between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm, while Najafgarh received 0.5 mm between 8:30 am and 11:30 am. Several other stations reported no measurable rainfall during the respective observation periods.
The latest spell adds to what has already been an unusually wet August for Delhi. The capital received 354.1 mm of rainfall between August 1 and August 30, up to 5:30 pm, substantially exceeding the IMD's long-period average of 233.1 mm for the month. Delhi has recorded rainfall above the August long-period average only six times since 2011—during 2012, 2013, 2020, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
With the IMD escalating the warning to red, residents have been advised to remain alert as further rain and thunderstorms could affect normal activity across the capital. The weather conditions may also create fresh challenges for road traffic and other urban infrastructure, particularly in areas vulnerable to water accumulation.
