The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light rain and thundershowers in Delhi-NCR and other parts of the northwest plains in the coming week, including on Monday. The Delhi weather today is likely to be generally cloudy with prediction of strong surface winds, light rain or thundershowers.

The IMD weather bulletin said the western disturbance would result in moderate to light scattered rainfall over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, north Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh till February 21.

“There will be moderate fog on Monday morning, with a generally cloudy sky and strong surface winds sweeping the national capital throughout the day. There is also a possibility of light rain or thundershowers towards the afternoon or evening,” said an IMD official.

The weather office has also predicted isolated heavy rain or snow over Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on February 20-21.

“Fairly widespread rain or snow would occur in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and scattered to fairly widespread rain or snow would occur in Uttarakhand over the next five days. But the intensity of the rain or snow would be high on February 20-21,” it said.

In Delhi and NCR, rain and thundershowers may continue till February 22, though the minimum temperature will rise a few notches above normal. “The minimum temperature is expected to hover between 12 degrees Celsius and 15 degrees Celsius, which is 2-3 notches above the normal, while the maximum might remain around 22-24 degree Celsius,” said the IMD.

There is also a possibility of hailstorm, accompanied by rain and thundershowers, over isolated parts of the Delhi-NCR on February 21.

February 22 onwards, according to skymetweather.com, weather will start clearing up in Delhi-NCR and most parts of North and Northwest India.

On Sunday, the minimum temperature was 10.5 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season’s normal, while the maximum was 21.9 degrees, two notches below normal.

Meanwhile, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) has predicted ‘poor’ to ‘moderate’ air quality for Delhi in the next three days. On Sunday, the air quality level was “poor”.

“It will improve to moderate category tomorrow. The air quality is expected to remain in higher end of moderate to lower end of poor for the next three days. The high wind speed is the main dynamical factor influencing favourably for pollutant dispersion,” SAFAR said in a statement.

While PM10 will remain in the range of 135 (moderate) to 157 (moderate), PM2.5 range has been predicted between 83 (moderate) and 96 (poor).