Delhi recorded its coldest August day in at least 14 years on Saturday, with the maximum temperature settling at 26.4 degrees Celsius — 7.8 degrees below normal. Continuous rain lashed the city from midnight on Friday until late Saturday. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the previous lowest August maximum was 27.9 degrees Celsius in 2012. The IMD did not have the 2020 August record available. Officials confirmed that the cool weather followed hours of relentless rainfall across several parts of the national capital.
City Sees 78.7 mm Rainfall at Safdarjung
The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s main weather station, recorded 78.7 mm of rainfall in 24 hours, ending at 8:30 am on Saturday. Other stations also recorded heavy showers — Lodhi Road reported 80 mm, Pusa 69 mm, and Palam 31.8 mm. Some parts of the city logged 100 mm of rain. The overcast conditions kept the day’s temperature unusually low, while the minimum temperature stood at 23.8 degrees Celsius, 3.2 degrees below average. The IMD noted that this was among the 10 lowest August maximum temperatures at Safdarjung since 1969.
Waterlogging and Traffic Disrupt City Life
Heavy rain from Friday night’s Raksha Bandhan showers left several areas waterlogged and caused major traffic disruptions. Entire residential colonies were submerged, and uprooted trees blocked roads. Severe waterlogging and traffic snarls were reported from Ring Road, Anand Parbat, New Rohtak Road, Zakhira Railway Underpass, GTK Depot, Jahangirpuri, Adarsh Nagar, Panchkuian Marg, Mathura Road, Shastri Bhawan, RK Puram, Moti Bagh, and Kidwai Nagar. Congestion also hit Pragati Maidan Tunnel, Dhaula Kuan, ITO, MB Road near Sainik Farm, Sarai Kale Khan, Defence Colony Underpass, Azadpur Market, Peeragarhi Chowk, Pul Prahladpur, and near New Delhi Railway Station.
Flight Operations Affected at Delhi Airport
The rainfall also disrupted air travel. Data from Flightradar showed that 200 flight operations were affected on Saturday morning. The Delhi airport issued an advisory on Friday night, stating that on-ground teams were working with stakeholders to ensure passengers faced minimal inconvenience. Some flights experienced delays, while others had to be rescheduled. Authorities urged passengers to check flight status before arriving at the airport.
Quick Response Teams Deployed for Relief
The Public Works Department (PWD) received around 30 complaints of waterlogging and deployed quick-response teams with pumps to drain flooded areas. Officials confirmed that one underpass connected to the Pragati Maidan transit corridor remained closed for two hours due to flooding near Mathura Road. The route reopened after water was cleared. The IMD forecast indicated that Delhi would continue to experience cloudy skies and rain on Sunday.
Must Read: Delhi Rain: Seven Killed In Wall Collapse Including Two Children
