Finally, it rained on a winter day in Delhi

Delhi and the National Capital Region woke up to a rainy winter morning on January 23, 2026. Light showers and mist reduced visibility.

The change in weather has been brought about by this year’s first intense western disturbance.

Western disturbances are storm systems that travel from the west, mostly the Mediterranean and Black Seas toward India, carrying moisture with them.

In recent years though, Western disturbances have become weaker, drier, and less frequent, causing significant snowfall deficits in the western Himalayas during 2025-26. Their overall winter intensity has decreased due to shifting jet streams and climate change, according to experts.

The western disturbance that has hit Delhi on January 23 thus shows how climate change is now a clear and present danger, not something far-removed.