Delhi experienced an unseasonably cold start to the day on Sunday, September 27, 2026, as the minimum temperature dipped to 21 degrees Celsius. This marked the capital's coldest September morning in 18 years, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The 21-degree Celsius reading at Safdarjung was 2.9 degrees below the seasonal average. The maximum temperature for the day reached 30.6 degrees Celsius, which was 3.7 degrees below normal for this time of year. This sudden drop in mercury has prompted discussions about an early onset of winter conditions.
Unusual Temperature Drop Details
The IMD confirmed that Sunday's minimum temperature was the second-lowest recorded in September at Safdarjung since 2001. The absolute lowest in this period was 20.8 degrees Celsius on September 6, 2008, while the third-lowest was 21.1 degrees Celsius on September 19, 2024. Other weather stations in the Delhi-NCR region also reported significantly lower temperatures, with Ridge recording 16.8 degrees Celsius, Palam 19.2 degrees Celsius, Lodi Road 21 degrees Celsius, and Ayanagar 21.2 degrees Celsius.
The cooler conditions followed approximately 5 mm of rainfall in Delhi between Saturday evening and Sunday morning. This precipitation was a result of a deep depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal interacting with a western disturbance, bringing widespread rain to Delhi and several neighboring states.
Weather Phenomena Explained
Weather scientists attributed the extensive rainfall to the deep depression impacting a large geographical area, stretching from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha through Chhattisgarh, eastern Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. This large-scale weather activity was responsible for the lower minimum temperatures observed across Delhi and its surrounding areas.
Beyond Delhi, several other states also saw significantly reduced daytime temperatures. Parts of Uttar Pradesh experienced maximum temperatures up to 10 degrees below normal, while Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh saw drops of 5-7 degrees below normal. Uttarakhand recorded temperatures 7-8 degrees below its usual levels for this period.
Forecast and Monsoon Withdrawal
The IMD has forecast cloudy skies for Monday, September 28, with temperatures expected to range between 21 and 32 degrees Celsius. However, no further rainfall is anticipated from Monday onwards, and conditions are expected to become drier as the southwest monsoon continues its withdrawal.
The southwest monsoon officially withdrew from Delhi on September 23, two days earlier than its typical schedule. During the monsoon season, Safdarjung recorded a total of 728.6 mm of rainfall. While this figure is 16 percent above the long-period average of 629.7 mm, it still falls within the normal range for the city's monsoon rainfall.