Yellow alert in Delhi-NCR: Gloomy, rainy morning as western disturbance brings in clouds

Delhi rain

• Light rain and cloudy skies bring brief relief to Delhi NCR.
• IMD issues yellow alert, forecasts gusty winds and thunderstorms.
• Delhi's air quality remains poor despite slight improvement.

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Several parts of Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) woke up to light rainfall on Wednesday morning, offering brief relief from rising temperatures recorded over the past few days.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed the national capital under a yellow alert, forecasting light rain along with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places. Similar weather conditions were also predicted for parts of NCR, including Gurugram and Faridabad.

VIDEO | Delhi: Parts of the national capital receive light rainfall. Early morning visuals from India Gate.#Delhi#WeatherUpdate#IndiaGate

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/JmcdKfF8N4 — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 18, 2026

According to IMD officials, the rain spells are expected to be light and scattered, with no major weather disruption likely through the day.

Western disturbance behind cloudy skies

The IMD said the change in weather is due to a fresh western disturbance affecting northwest India. As a result, skies are likely to remain generally cloudy, with intermittent spells of very light rain expected through Wednesday.

VIDEO | Parts of Delhi receive light rainfall. Morning visuals from AIIMS area. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/AlKmDoiEFS — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 18, 2026

The weather department also warned of gusty winds blowing at speeds of 30–40 kmph during the forenoon hours. Another brief spell of drizzle may occur later in the afternoon, depending on local weather conditions.

However, meteorologists said the system is relatively weak and is unlikely to bring sustained rainfall or a sharp drop in temperatures. While the showers may offer temporary comfort, warmer-than-usual weather is expected to continue over the coming days.

Air quality remains poor

The showers come days after Delhi recorded its warmest day of the year so far. The maximum temperature on Monday climbed to 31.6 degrees Celsius, seven degrees above the seasonal norm, marking the first time this season that temperatures breached the 30 degrees Celsius mark. Weather data indicates it is the earliest instance in five years that February temperatures have crossed this threshold.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality continued to remain a concern. According to SAFAR data, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 225 at 6 am on Wednesday, placing it in the “poor” category. Though slightly better than Tuesday’s reading of 259, pollution levels remained high in several areas.

Localities such as Wazirpur (338), Bawana (311), Jahangirpuri (308) and Mundka (315) recorded AQI levels in the “very poor” range, indicating continued health risks for residents.