Delhi Records Heaviest December Rainfall in 101 Years: 41.2 mm in 24 Hours

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Delhi recorded 41.2 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours up to 8:30 am on Saturday, marking the highest single-day December rainfall in 101 years, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The last time the capital saw such significant December rainfall was on December 3, 1923, when 75.7 mm was recorded. Additionally, December 2024 now ranks as the fifth-highest in terms of monthly rainfall since record-keeping began in 1901, an IMD official stated.

"The cumulative 24-hour rainfall ending at 8:30 am today is the second-highest for December since 1901 at Safdarjung. December's total rainfall for the month is now the fifth-highest on record. This cumulative rainfall represents the precipitation recorded in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 am IST," the official elaborated. Delhi began Saturday under an overcast sky, with the IMD forecasting light to moderate rain for the day and issuing a yellow alert. The rainfall is attributed to an active western disturbance interacting with easterly winds, resulting in light to moderate rain and thunderstorms across Northwest and Central India, including the Delhi-NCR region.

The minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 12.7 degrees Celsius, six degrees above the seasonal average. Alongside the rain, Delhi’s air quality showed significant improvement. At 9 am, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 152, falling into the ‘moderate’ category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board. For context, an AQI between 0-50 is classified as ‘good,’ 51-100 as ‘satisfactory,’ 101-200 as ‘moderate,’ 201-300 as ‘poor,’ 301-400 as ‘very poor,’ and 401-500 as ‘severe.’