On March 20, 2026, the national capital region experienced its first winter season when continuous rain combined with strong winds to create a winterlike freezing temperature throughout the city. During March, Safdarjung Observatory recorded its coldest temperature in six years when the maximum temperature reached 21.7°C, which was nearly 10 degrees lower than the typical seasonal temperature.
The city recorded its lowest temperature since March 2020, which resulted in an environmental achievement when the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city reached 93 to enter the satisfactory range after 161 days.
The city experienced two unusual events that delivered extreme cold temperatures while providing residents with pure air that created an unusual break from both early summer heat and ongoing wintertime air pollution.
Record Temperatures and Meteorological Shifts
A western disturbance brought heavy rain, which caused mercury levels to decrease across the entire National Capital Region (NCR). The temperature at Safdarjung reached 21.7°C, while Palam and Lodhi Road reported lower temperatures of 21.2°C and 21.0°C.
The summer season experienced a complete suspension because the current temperature exceeded normal levels by more than 10 degrees Celsius. The city received approximately 7 mm of rainfall within 24 hours, making this the wettest March since 2023.
A rain band that measured 1,000 kilometers in length traveled through North India, which led to a sudden decrease in atmospheric temperatures. The strong winds made the cold weather seem more intense to residents, who then needed to wear their light wool clothing again.
Environmental Recovery and Air Quality
The most important result from this wet period has been the creation of a significant decrease in particulate matter, which had kept the city’s air in the ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ brackets for over five months.
The rain functioned as a natural scrubber because it removed all the pollutants that had accumulated in the area, resulting in an air quality index of 93, which showed healthy conditions.
This is the first ‘satisfactory’ air day that Delhi has experienced since October 9, 2025. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts a temperature increase that will reach 27°C by the weekend, while current moisture levels together with clear skies will produce ‘moderate’ air quality for several days, which will benefit public health throughout the city.
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
