Delhi Prepares For Return Of Smog As Monsoon Withdraws, El Niño Adds Uncertainty

News india Delhi Prepares For Return Of Smog As Monsoon Withdraws, El Niño Adds Uncertainty

Last Updated:September 25, 2026, 18:03 IST

Scientists are closely monitoring the evolving El Niño situation and its impact on weather patterns, as air quality in Delhi-NCR is heavily impacted by meteorological conditions

With the southwest monsoon already on its way out of the national capital, Delhi is now bracing for a deterioration in its air quality. But before the city gets enveloped in toxic haze, it is likely to get a few more days of respite, with favourable weather conditions expected to persist in the days ahead.

The temperatures have dropped by 1-2℃ over the last 24 hours and are now settling around 34-36℃ during the day and 21-24℃ during the night. The southeasterly wind speed continues to prevail, and as of Friday, the daily Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was also recorded around 145 on Thursday, which falls in the ‘moderate’ category.

“While the monsoon has withdrawn, we are expecting some scattered rain showers and thunderstorm activity in various parts in the next few days. The deep depression over Chhattisgarh and Odisha still has some strength left and is bringing rain to the northern plains. The weather is expected to remain cloudy for a few days," said IMD scientist Akhil Srivastava.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has already issued a yellow alert for light to moderate rainfall in Delhi on 26th September, with thunderstorms and gusty winds up to 30 kmph. This will bring a pleasant change in the weather, with temperatures falling by 3-4°C thereafter. While the mercury has fallen, forecasters clarify that it does not signal the start of the winter season just yet. “The temperatures are likely to increase again after this system passes, so winter is still far ahead," he added.

This year, the southwest monsoon retreated from the national capital on September 23, two days earlier than usual this year after a subpar performance. Scientists are also monitoring El Niño, which has also become stronger in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, and its impact on weather patterns, as the air quality in the national capital is heavily impacted by meteorological conditions.

“The weather is still warmer than what it normally is at the end of September. October-November may also not feel cold enough. We have not had a particularly good monsoon, so soil moisture is also depleted. The dust loading could be higher if it does not rain enough, potentially leading to poor air quality. But there is still a lot of uncertainty over the El Niño’s impact, so we will have to be very prepared," said senior climate scientist Dr Raghu Murtugudde, also a visiting faculty at IIT Bombay.

Meanwhile, the paddy harvesting season has begun in North India, which is one of the major contributors to a spike in pollution levels in October-November. As many as 51 fire counts were detected by satellites in the six states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh by September 24. Punjab leads with 27, followed by 19 recorded in Uttar Pradesh, even as cloudy conditions hamper satellite monitoring.

The line of withdrawal of the Southwest Monsoon continues to pass through Punjab’s Gurdaspur, Chandigarh, Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh), Udaipur (Rajasthan), Deesa, and Naliya (Gujarat).

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Srishti ChoudharyAssociate Editor

Srishti Choudhary, Associate Editor at CNN-News18 specializes in science, environment, and climate change reporting. With over a decade of extensive field experience, she has brought incisive ground r...Read More

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