New Delhi woke up to grey skies and steady downpours on Wednesday as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that the national capital had received moderate rainfall through the day. According to data shared by an IMD scientist, Safdarjung and Lodhi Road recorded 25 mm of rainfall each, while Palam logged 4 mm — and every one of Delhi’s 12 weather stations reported rain, underlining how widespread the spell was.
While Delhi escaped without any formal warning, the story is far more intense just beyond its borders. The IMD has issued an orange alert for October 8 and 9 covering Uttarakhand, West Uttar Pradesh, East Uttar Pradesh and East Rajasthan, where heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in some pockets. An orange alert signals that conditions could disrupt daily life and travel, and authorities in these states have been asked to remain prepared.
West Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have also been placed under alert for Wednesday, as the active weather system continued to drench central and western India. The alert for Gujarat, in particular, covers a state already battered by a very active monsoon season this year.
Uttar Pradesh has borne the brunt of the current system over the last two days. Kheri district and Gorakhpur recorded between 120 and 240 mm of rainfall, according to the IMD, with one station in the state reporting extremely heavy rainfall. The intensity of the downpour in UP has been the highest anywhere in the region during this spell.
In Delhi, the rain brought both relief and disruption. Waterlogging was reported in several areas, and traffic movement was affected across parts of the city. The Delhi Traffic Police advised commuters to avoid New Rohtak Road near Anand Parbat, where water accumulation had slowed vehicles. On the brighter side, the showers pulled temperatures down and gave the city’s air quality a much-needed boost after days of hazy conditions.
Looking ahead, the IMD has offered some reassurance for the capital. There is no significant rainfall expected from October 10 onwards in Delhi, though the sky is likely to remain cloudy, with only drizzling or light rain possible thereafter. Commuters planning weekend travel within the NCR can, for now, expect a marked improvement in conditions.
The wider picture is one of a monsoon system still very much alive. Heavy rainfall lashed Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and the Konkan region over the last 48 hours, and the IMD has asked residents in orange-alert zones to stay alert to official updates, avoid flood-prone routes, and factor the weather into their travel plans through Thursday.
