Delhi-NCR Sees Coldest September Night Since 2001: Is Winter Arriving Early in 2026 Due to El Niño? Check IMD Weather Forecast

Delhi experienced an unusually cool September night on September 27 after widespread rainfall and continued cloud cover brought temperatures down across parts of north India. The national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 21°C, its second-lowest September reading in 25 years and the lowest since 2001. The sharp dip has raised questions about whether winter could arrive early this year and if the developing El Nino is behind it. 

Why did Delhi temperatures suddenly fall?

The temperature drop followed an unusually persistent weather system that brought heavy rainfall across several states. A deep depression that shifted inland from the Bay of Bengal produced sustained rain across large parts of India.

According to a weather expert as quoted by the Business Today, the system received support from atmospheric conditions linked with the beginning of the southwest monsoon's withdrawal. The depression brought rainfall from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh to Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and parts of the Northeast. Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand were also impacted.

Persistent cloud cover, high atmospheric moisture and continuous rainfall lowered daytime heating. These conditions, coupled with the unsettled weather, triggered cooler nights across northern India.

Is El Niño causing the cold spell in Delhi?

The recent temperature decline should not be treated as an effect of El Niño. Experts cited by India Today said the cooling was mainly caused by the active weather system and rainfall.

El Niño is a large-scale climate phenomenon involving unusually warm ocean-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It can influence atmospheric circulation and India's broader weather patterns, but the present September temperature dip in Delhi is not directly linked to the phenomenon.

Will winter arrive early?

For now, there is no confirmation of an early winter. As the current weather system weakens, drier westerly winds are slated to become more influential over north India.

From September 30 and October 1, sunshine is expected to rise across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and much of Uttar Pradesh. With reduced cloud cover and drier conditions, daytime temperatures are expected to rise again.

Another weather system approaching

Another depression near Myanmar could shift into the northeastern Bay of Bengal and travel inland. It may bolster a deep depression and bring fresh rainfall and cloud cover to parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and the Northeast.

The recent weather pattern therefore hints at a temporary cool spell rather than the arrival of winter.

Delhi IMD weather forecast for the coming days

IMD states no rain for Delhi from September 29 to October 3, with a mainly clear sky on all five days. Maximum temperature will increase from 32 to 34 degrees Celsius on September 29 to 33 to 35 degrees Celsius from September 30 to October 3. The minimum will go up from 22 to 24 degrees Celsius to 23 to 25 degrees Celsius by October 1. Northwesterly winds of 15 to 20 kmph are likely in the afternoon from October 1 to 3.