Delhi experienced an unusually chilly day for the month of March after continuous rain and strong winds swept through the city, bringing both a sharp drop in temperatures and a welcome improvement in air quality. The capital recorded its coldest March day in six years on Friday, alongside its cleanest air in roughly five months.

At Safdarjung, the city’s main weather station, the maximum temperature settled at 21.7 degrees Celsius, which is nearly 10 notches below the seasonal average.

This marks the lowest daytime temperature recorded in March since March 8, 2020, when it had dipped slightly further to 21.2 degrees Celsius.

Similar conditions were observed across other parts of the city. Palam registered a high of 21.2 degrees Celsius, Lodhi Road 21.0 degrees Celsius, Ridge 21.1 degrees Celsius, and Ayanagar 21.5 degrees Celsius—each location recording temperatures significantly below normal levels for this time of year.

The cooler weather was accompanied by steady rainfall. Around 7 mm of rain was recorded during the day, pushing the month’s cumulative rainfall to 16.2 mm so far.