Delhi shivered through its coldest Republic Day in five years today, with residents bundling up against the chill as the nation celebrated its 77th Republic Day. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated that the cold conditions are likely to persist, with a high probability of rainfall throughout the day.

A strong western disturbance is currently affecting northern India, causing cloudy skies and a drop in temperatures across the region. The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Delhi, forecasting light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds blowing at 30–40 kmph. These conditions are expected during the early morning and forenoon hours, with a possibility of similar weather returning in the afternoon and continuing into the night.

Minimum temperatures are expected to remain around 9 degrees Celsius, while maximum temperatures are likely to hover near 19 degrees Celsius. The persistent cloud cover and rainfall may cause the day to feel colder than usual, with daytime temperatures potentially dipping further.

The IMD has stated that this marks the second strong western disturbance of the season, anticipated to bring light to moderate rainfall to Delhi and surrounding areas between January 26th and 28th. There is also a possibility of isolated heavy rainfall and hailstorms on January 27th. The city experienced a significant wet spell recently on January 23rd, with sudden showers and thunderstorms leading to the highest January rainfall in two years, which temporarily improved air quality and lowered temperatures.

According to the air quality early warning system, Delhi's air quality is expected to remain in the 'moderate' category on January 27th and 28th before potentially slipping back to 'poor' levels on January 29th. AccuWeather has also predicted morning showers for the capital, followed by intervals of sunshine and cloud cover throughout the day. They forecast approximately two hours of rainfall and nearly 54 per cent cloud cover, also cautioning that air quality could remain very unhealthy.

The weather is expected to clear by Republic Day with cold but largely dry conditions. Weather models suggest that the western disturbance will weaken slightly, reducing the likelihood of rain or snow in most parts of North India. Morning fog may still linger in some areas, but no major rainfall is expected during the parade.