Delhi recorded its cleanest October air in over a decade, with the average AQI falling to 167 in October 2026The capital also recorded its coldest October day since 1951, with the maximum temperature dropping to 20.7 degrees Celsius on October 30.
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Delhi breathes cleanest air in 11 years as heavy rain brings relief from pollution, records coldest October day since 1951(PTI image)
Delhi witnessed an unusual change in weather in October 2026While air pollution usually starts increasing in the capital around this time of the year, this October turned out to be differentThe city recorded its cleanest October air in more than a decade, along with its highest rainfall in four years.
The capital also experienced an unusually cold day on October 30, when the maximum temperature dropped to 20.7 degrees CelsiusAccording to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this was the lowest maximum temperature recorded in October since 1951.
Heavy rainfall and a sudden drop in temperature helped improve Delhi’s air qualityThe city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) fell to 60 on October 30, giving residents some relief from pollution ahead of the winter season.
Delhi records its cleanest October air since 2015
Delhi recorded an average AQI of 167 in October 2026, the lowest average for the month since 2015The figures are based on an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA)The improvement is significant when compared with the previous few yearsDelhi’s average AQI stood at 223 in October 2025, 234 in October 2024, 219 in October 2023 and 210 in October 2022In October 2015, the average AQI was 264.
During October 2026, the city recorded five days of poor air quality, three days of satisfactory air quality and 22 days when the AQI remained in the moderate category.
Another noticeable change was that pollution levels entered the poor category later than usualThe AQI reached 245 on October 21This was the first time since 2015 that Delhi’s air quality slipped into the poor category during the second half of OctoberIn earlier years, pollution generally reached this level during the first half of the month.
Delhi’s AQI drops to 60 on October 30
On October 30, the city’s average AQI dropped to 60This was the cleanest October day since October 10, 2022, when the AQI was recorded at 44The highest AQI recorded during October this year was 245This was also the lowest monthly peak since 2015, according to the CREA analysis.
However, experts have pointed out that the improvement cannot be linked only to pollution-control measuresWeather conditions, including rainfall and temperature changes, also had a major impact.
Delhi receives highest October rainfall in four years
Rainfall was another major reason behind the unusual weather in the capitalDelhi received 123.3 mm of rain by 8:30 am on October 30, making it the wettest October in four years.
This was also the fourth-highest October rainfall recorded at Safdarjung since 1954The last time Delhi received more rain during October was in 2022, when the city recorded around 128 mm for the entire month.
The normal rainfall for Delhi in October is around 15.1 mmThis means the capital received more than eight times its usual rainfall this month.
The India Meteorological Department reported that a weather system involving a western disturbance and the remnants of Cyclone Arnab brought rain to Delhi and nearby areas, including Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram.
October 30 becomes Delhi’s coldest day since 1951
On October 30, the maximum temperature at the Safdarjung weather station was recorded at just 20.7 degrees CelsiusAccording to IMD records, this was the lowest maximum temperature for October since 1951The temperature was around 10.3 degrees Celsius below the normal level for this time of the yearResidents experienced unusually cold conditions, with cloudy skies, rain and mist adding to the winter-like weather.
The average minimum temperature for October 2026 stood at 20.7 degrees Celsius, while the average maximum temperature was 32.6 degrees Celsius.
What is Delhi’s weather forecast for October 31?
According to the IMD’s latest city forecast, Delhi is expected to see partly cloudy skies on Saturday, October 31The forecast indicates that rain is unlikely, with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to remain around 29 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The weather is expected to become clearer after the recent spell of rain, although temperatures are likely to remain relatively low compared with the unusually warm conditions seen earlier in October.
