A spell of rain midweek brought relief to residents of the national capital, with temperatures dipping and cloudy skies setting in across the city on Thursday.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature dropped to around 19 degrees Celsius following rainfall on Wednesday, marking a shift from the warmer conditions seen earlier this month. Until recently, Delhi had been recording daytime highs of nearly 34 degrees Celsius.

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Meteorologists attributed the change to an active western disturbance moving across north India, which has altered weather patterns in the region.

Yellow alert issued for rain, thunderstorms

The weather office has issued a yellow alert for March 19 and 20, warning of thunderstorms, lightning and light to moderate rainfall in the city.

Officials said Delhi is likely to witness cloudy skies with intermittent showers through the day. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30–40 kmph are also expected.

For March 19, the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 29 degrees Celsius, while the minimum may remain near 19 degrees Celsius. A further dip is expected on March 20, with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 27 degrees Celsius and the minimum dropping to about 17 degrees Celsius.

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Cooling trend to continue over next few days

Meteorologists said the combination of moisture-laden winds and the western disturbance could lead to a temperature drop of 4–6 degrees Celsius over the coming days.

The rain is also expected to bring some respite from early summer heat and may help settle dust levels in the air, potentially improving air quality across the city.