Winter Nip Over For Delhi: Rain Likely Tomorrow-Day After
Clouds Hovering Over Gurugram Cyber Hub (Representational Image)
Key Takeaways:
- Delhi/NCR day temperatures surged to near-season highs, staying well above normal.
- Delhi/NCR day temperatures surged to near-season highs, staying well above normal.
- Rainfall may briefly cool daytime temperatures but raise nighttime readings.
- Clearer skies and warmer days are expected again after February 19.
Day temperature has risen significantly over Delhi/NCR in the past 24 hours. Base station Safdarjung recorded a high of 28.5°C yesterday, the second highest so far this season. Earlier, the maximum had shot up to 28.6°C on January 10, 2026. These mercury levels are noticeably higher by 4°–5°C than normal. Even the minimum temperature has remained close to double digits on most occasions, hovering between 9° and 10°C. The lowest minimum this month was 8.2°C, recorded on February 4, and there has been no repeat since.
The minimum temperature this morning was 10.1°C, about 1°C below normal. The average normal in the last week of February rises to around 12°C. So far, the mean minimum temperature between February 1 and 16 has been recorded at 10°C, against the monthly average of 10.6°C. It is likely to catch up with the average by the end of the month. The minimum temperature is expected to rise during this week by about 2°–3°C, but the maximum will shy away from breaching the 30°C mark. Day temperatures frequently reach or cross 30°C in February. It even surpassed the 33°C mark in 2021 and 2023, but this normally happens during the last week of February. Last year, the highest maximum for the month was 32.4°C, measured on February 26, 2025.
There is a Western Disturbance over North Afghanistan and the adjoining Pakistan region. An induced cyclonic circulation is marked over southwest Rajasthan and neighboring southeast Pakistan. This feature will draw closer to the central and northeastern parts of Rajasthan over the next two days. The confluence between the wind streams of the Western Disturbance and the cyclonic circulation will trigger clouds and rainfall over north and northeast Rajasthan and adjoining parts of Madhya Pradesh between February 17 and 18, 2026. The proximity of the east-west trough close to Delhi will bring cloudy skies tomorrow and the day after. Clouds will be thin and scattered to start tomorrow morning but will thicken toward late night. These conditions will persist throughout Wednesday. Winter rains or showers are likely over Delhi/NCR during this window, from late night tomorrow until the evening hours of February 18, 2026.
The wet spell may break the jinx of a dry February so far. Clouds and associated rainfall will raise the minimum temperature by 2°–3°C and drop the day temperature by a similar margin. While rains may continue over parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh on February 19 as well, the Delhi region will see broad clearance from Thursday morning onward. Following the passage of the system, day temperatures will rise to the high 20s and night temperatures will stay in the low teens over Delhi/NCR.
