India
Delhi witnessed an extraordinary weather shift on Friday, October 30, as the national capital recorded its coldest October day since 1951. The maximum temperature at the Safdarjung observatory plunged to 20.7 degrees Celsius, marking the lowest maximum temperature recorded in October in 75 years. The sudden drop in temperature came amid widespread rainfall, cloudy skies and the interaction of a western disturbance with Cyclone Arnab.
The latest weather development follows another unusually cold day on Thursday, when Delhi recorded its lowest October temperature in four years. Persistent rainfall and overcast conditions have brought a distinctly wintry feel to the capital, much earlier than the usual onset of winter.
According to historical weather records, the previous lowest maximum temperatures recorded in October included 21.5 degrees Celsius on October 25, 1975; 21.9 degrees Celsius on October 31, 1961; 22.1 degrees Celsius on October 18, 1971; and 22.2 degrees Celsius on October 1, 1954.
The interaction between a western disturbance and Cyclone Arnab contributed to isolated spells of rainfall across Delhi and neighbouring regions. Several adjoining areas, including Ghaziabad, Noida and Gurugram, also witnessed rainfall, resulting in a significant decline in daytime temperatures.
Delhi records sixth-highest October rainfall since 1951
The Safdarjung observatory, which serves as the primary reference weather station for New Delhi, recorded 61.4 millimetres of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Friday.
The rainfall was the sixth-highest 24-hour precipitation recorded at the observatory during October since 1951.
Historical records show that the highest 24-hour rainfall for October at Safdarjung was 172.7 mm, recorded on October 1, 1954. The second-highest was 110.9 mm on October 9, 1956, followed by 87.9 mm on October 18, 2021.
Friday’s heavy rainfall also pushed Delhi’s cumulative October precipitation to 123.3 mm, making October 2026 the fourth-wettest October at Safdarjung in more than 75 years, based on records available until October 30.
The wettest October on record remains October 1954, when the observatory registered 238.3 mm of rainfall. October 1956 follows closely with 236.2 mm, while October 2022 recorded 128.6 mm.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature at Safdarjung stood at 17.2 degrees Celsius on Friday, which was 1.1 degrees above the seasonal normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Delhi records cleanest October air in over a decade
Alongside the dramatic weather changes, Delhi has also registered a significant improvement in air quality.
The national capital recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 167 in October 2026, marking its cleanest October air in more than a decade. According to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), this is the lowest average AQI recorded for October since 2015.
The improvement comes as a welcome development for residents, particularly as Delhi typically experiences deteriorating air quality during the October-November period with the onset of winter, changing wind patterns and increased pollution levels.
On Friday, air quality also varied across different parts of the capital. The AQI near Kartavya Path and India Gate was recorded at 93, placing it in the ‘satisfactory’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The combination of rainfall, lower temperatures and overcast skies has brought a noticeable change to Delhi’s weather conditions.
With October 2026 now emerging as one of the wettest and coldest October periods in decades, the capital has witnessed multiple weather records being rewritten. The simultaneous improvement in air quality has also offered residents some relief during a month that traditionally marks the beginning of Delhi’s annual pollution season.
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