Delhi experienced its cleanest air in the first eight months of the year since 2018, according to data from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). On Thursday, the city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 53, which falls under the 'satisfactory' category.

This significant improvement in air quality is attributed to the recent heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. The CAQM highlighted in a tweet that this was the cleanest air Delhi had seen for any day between January 1 and August 8 in the last six years. The AQI reading of 53 was reported at 4 pm by the Central Pollution Control Board.

For context, the AQI scale classifies air quality levels from 'good' (0-50) to 'severe' (401-500), with 'satisfactory' (51-100) indicating generally acceptable air quality with minor health concerns for sensitive groups.

Thursday also brought light showers across various parts of Delhi, providing relief from the city's humid weather. The maximum temperature reached 34.1 degrees Celsius, which is typical for this time of year, while the minimum temperature dropped to 25.4 degrees Celsius, slightly below the seasonal average.

Despite the improved air quality, the rainfall caused some disruptions in the city, including waterlogging and uprooted trees. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) received 18 reports of waterlogging and 16 complaints about uprooted trees.

Looking ahead, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts a cloudy sky with light rain on Friday, with expected temperatures ranging from 26 to 34 degrees Celsius.

Delhi has seen 554.6 mm of rainfall between June 1 and August 1, largely due to two extreme weather events: 228.1 mm on June 28 and 107.6 mm on August 1. The 228.1 mm of rain on June 28, the day the monsoon arrived in Delhi, was the second-highest recorded rainfall for June in 88 years. The highest-ever June rainfall was 235.5 mm, recorded at Safdarjung Observatory on June 28, 1936.

On July 31, Delhi received 108 mm of rain, breaking the record for the most rainfall in a single day in July over the past 14 years. Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology and climate change at Skymet, noted that the previous record for July rainfall was 184 mm, set on July 2, 1961.