Delhi is experiencing a persistently wet August, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an ‘orange’ alert for moderate rainfall until 2 p.m. on Friday. The city woke up to morning showers on Independence Day, following a day of record-breaking rainfall.
As of Friday morning, Delhi has already surpassed both its monthly average and annual rainfall totals, marking the fastest such occurrence in four years. In the 24-hour period leading up to 8:30 a.m., the Safdarjung weather station, Delhi’s official base, recorded 80.4 mm of rain. The IMD’s alert for moderate rain and thunderstorms is expected to last for the next three hours, with a forecast of light rain later tonight. A wet weekend is also expected, with light showers predicted for both Saturday and Sunday.
Record-Breaking Rainfall in 2025
August has already seen 255.8 mm of rain, exceeding the monthly normal of 233.1 mm. The city’s total rainfall for the year now stands at 819.1 mm, surpassing the average annual rainfall of 774.4 mm. This is the fastest Delhi has reached this annual milestone since 2021.
This year’s rainfall totals are particularly remarkable given the dry start to the year, with only 10.5 mm of rain recorded in the first four months. Since May, however, the city has received over 800 mm of rain, with each month since then logging excess rainfall.
- May: Was the wettest on record, with 186.4 mm of rain—over six times the normal average.
- June: Recorded 107.1 mm, a 45% excess over the long-period average.
- July: Received 259.3 mm, which was 24% more than the long-period average.
The continuous rainfall has had a positive effect on the city’s air quality, which has improved to a “satisfactory” level of 72 as of 11 a.m. on Friday. This marks an improvement from the air quality index of 90 recorded on Thursday afternoon.