Delhi Turns Shimla: Winter arrives early in Delhi-NCR, temperature drops to coldest in 4 years in Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad

Delhi-NCR has witnessed a sudden change in weather, with overnight heavy rainfall bringing an early taste of winter to the region. Temperatures have dropped sharply across the national capital and neighbouring cities, including Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, leaving residents reaching for warmer clothes. The change comes after several hours of continuous rainfall on Thursday night. Large parts of Delhi-NCR experienced showers, thunderstorms and cloudy skies, bringing a noticeable chill to the air on Friday morning. The temperature drop has been particularly significant in Delhi, which recorded its lowest maximum temperature in four years.

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For residents who were still experiencing relatively warm October days, the sudden change has come as a surprise. The showers have not only changed the temperature but also brought some relief from pollution, with Delhi's air quality improving to the Moderate category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 133 at 4 am on Friday. This was a considerable improvement from readings above 200, which had placed the capital in the Poor category on Wednesday and Thursday.

Delhi-NCR weather: IMD issues yellow alert for rain and thunderstorms

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a yellow alert for Delhi and neighbouring NCR districts on October 29, warning of rain and thunderstorms over the following 24 to 48 hours. The weather warning covered Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad. The forecast indicated generally cloudy skies, with one or two spells of light to moderate rainfall likely across several locations. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds could accompany the showers.

Some isolated areas were also expected to receive heavy rainfall during the night. The wet conditions were likely to continue into Friday, October 30, with very light to light rain forecast across multiple locations. Moderate showers were also expected during the morning and forenoon hours.

Will Delhi weather improve from November 1?

According to the IMD forecast, Delhi-NCR is likely to see a gradual return to more stable weather conditions over the weekend. The national capital is expected to witness partly cloudy skies on October 31, with no weather warnings in place. Conditions are likely to become mainly clear on November 1 and November 2.

This could bring an end to the current spell of rain and thunderstorms. However, the temperature trend will determine how quickly the winter chill becomes more noticeable across the city. For residents, the immediate change is already evident. Cooler mornings and evenings could make light winter clothing useful, although clear skies may bring some warmth back during the daytime.

Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad weather: Will the winter chill continue?

The current weather conditions have raised a common question among NCR residents: Is winter arriving earlier than usual this year?

The latest IMD forecast suggests that the rainy spell will gradually weaken towards the weekend. Delhi-NCR is expected to witness partly cloudy skies on October 31, followed by mainly clear weather on November 1 and 2.

With the skies clearing, daytime temperatures could begin rising again. However, cooler conditions may continue during early mornings and late evenings, particularly in areas where rainfall has brought down temperatures.

For residents of Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, keeping light winter clothing handy may be a sensible move. Sweaters and light jackets could prove useful during morning and evening hours, although the return of warmer afternoons means it may be too early to bring out heavy woollens.

The recent temperature drop should also be seen in the context of the changing weather system. A few days of cooler conditions after heavy rainfall do not necessarily indicate that the full winter season has begun.

Heavy rainfall warning for Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and other states

While Delhi-NCR is expected to move towards clearer skies, several eastern and central Indian states remain under the influence of an active weather system.

The IMD has forecast isolated extremely heavy rainfall over north Bihar on October 30. Parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha are also likely to experience extremely heavy showers.

Jharkhand, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and eastern Uttar Pradesh are among the other regions expected to receive widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall.

The weather department has also flagged a low-to-moderate flash flood risk in vulnerable watersheds until October 30. The identified areas include Korba, Surguja and Balrampur in Chhattisgarh; Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Sambalpur in Odisha; and Palamu and Simdega in Jharkhand.

In Bihar, East Champaran, West Champaran, Rohtas and Bhojpur are among the districts facing potential risks. Sonbhadra, Ghazipur and Ballia in eastern Uttar Pradesh have also been identified.

South India to receive more rain between November 2 and 4

The weather situation is also expected to become more active across southern India in early November as a weather system over the Bay of Bengal approaches.

Scattered rainfall is likely to continue in some areas towards the end of October. However, the IMD expects fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over Coastal Karnataka, Kerala, South Interior Karnataka, Telangana and Coastal Andhra Pradesh between November 2 and November 4.

Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam could experience isolated very heavy rainfall on November 2 and 3. Telangana may also witness thunderstorms and strong gusty winds, with wind speeds potentially reaching 60 kmph.

For now, Delhi-NCR residents can expect some relief from the rain as the weekend approaches. But the sharp temperature drop has already brought an early reminder of the approaching winter season