Sat Dec 28 04:00:37 UTC 2024: ## Delhi Records Heaviest December Rainfall in 15 Years, Air Quality Improves
**NEW DELHI** – Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) experienced heavy, intermittent rainfall throughout Friday, December 27th, marking the highest December rainfall in the last 15 years. The downpour, which began late Thursday night, continued into Saturday morning in Noida, causing waterlogging and traffic jams in several areas. The Delhi Municipal Corporation received 13 complaints, nine related to waterlogging and four to fallen trees.
The rainfall significantly impacted temperatures, causing a 10-degree Celsius drop in the maximum temperature, which plummeted to 14.6°C – the lowest maximum temperature in five years. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 9.1 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 AM Friday, with further significant rainfall recorded throughout the day. The total rainfall for December, exceeding 42.8 mm, surpasses any other December in the last 15 years. The highest December rainfall on record was 134.4 mm in 1884. University of Delhi area recorded the highest rainfall with 39mm.
The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Saturday, predicting cloudy skies with intermittent rain, mainly light showers in the morning and afternoon. The minimum temperature is forecast at 12°C and the maximum at 16°C.
The heavy rainfall significantly improved air quality. While the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 353 on Friday evening, it dropped to the “satisfactory” range by Saturday morning, providing much-needed relief from the previously poor air quality. The last paragraph about former PM Manmohan Singh is unrelated and omitted.
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