Delhi's BRICS Summit Faces Rainy Skies: A Weather Outlook

Well, it seems New Delhi is gearing up for a rather eventful week, not just with the high-stakes BRICS Summit looming large, but also with a notable shift in the weather forecast. Global leaders will be converging in the capital on September 12th and 13th, 2026, and it looks like they might just need to pack an umbrella alongside their diplomatic briefs.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a forecast indicating generally cloudy skies throughout the summit days, accompanied by spells of light to moderate rain. Imagine that – a bit of unexpected dampness for such a significant international gathering! According to seasoned weather expert Mahesh Palawat from Skymet, we're particularly looking at light to moderate rainfall on both September 12th and 13th. And just when you thought the skies might clear completely, there's even a chance of light rain spilling over into Sunday, September 14th, too. A bit of a mixed bag, really, but certainly something for event organizers and attendees alike to keep a watchful eye on.

This autumnal moisture comes as the Southwest monsoon is still making its presence felt, with its official withdrawal not anticipated until after September 21st. So, while we're edging closer to clearer skies, there's still enough atmospheric moisture lingering to bring about these showers. Before the rain rolls in, however, Delhi has been experiencing some rather warm conditions. Just recently, on Thursday, September 10th, the Safdarjung observatory clocked a maximum temperature of 36.6 degrees Celsius – that's a good 3.1 degrees above what's considered normal for this time of year. The minimum temperature wasn't far behind either, sitting at 27.2 degrees Celsius, 1.6 degrees above average. Perhaps these upcoming rains will offer a welcome, albeit temporary, reprieve from the lingering heat.

Speaking of the city's overall environment, the air quality in Delhi was noted as 'moderate' on Thursday, September 10th, with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 134. While 'moderate' isn't ideal, it's certainly better than 'poor' or 'very poor'. Any rain, of course, usually helps to settle dust and particulates, potentially offering a minor improvement to the air quality – a silver lining, perhaps, to the cloudy forecast. So, as New Delhi prepares to host an important global dialogue, it also readies itself for a natural spectacle of its own, with the weather playing its unique, unpredictable part.