'Orange alert': Light rain brings relief to Delhi-NCR; IMD warns of gusty winds, thunderstorms

NEW DELHI: Light rainfall brought relief to parts of Delhi-NCR on Saturday, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an ‘orange’ alert for the city, forecasting light to moderate showers accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds over the next few hours.

The IMD stated that winds may reach speeds of 30 to 50 kilometres per hour, and rainfall has already been recorded in east, west, south, and southeast Delhi.

The orange alert, under IMD’s colour-coded warning system, advises residents to “be prepared” for potentially impactful weather.

The capital recorded a minimum temperature of 28.7 degrees Celsius, slightly above the seasonal average, while the maximum is expected to hover around 37 degrees Celsius. Relative humidity was reported at 72% at 8.30 am.

Air quality remained in the “satisfactory” category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 86 at 10 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). AQI readings between 51 and 100 fall in the satisfactory range, while values above that are categorized as moderate to severe.