New Delhi

Heavy rain and thunderstorms lashed Delhi and its adjoining areas in the early hours of Saturday.

"Thunderstorm with moderate to heavy intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of entire Delhi and Delhi NCR (Gurugram, Faridabad, Manesar, Ballabhgarh) Karnal, Panipat, Gannaur, Sonipat, Kharkhoda, Jhajjar, Sohana, Palwal, Nuh (Haryana) Baraut, Bagpat (UP) and Tizara (Rajasthan),"  the India Meteorological Department tweeted.

With rain lashing several parts of Delhi and the temperature dipping further, homeless people are taking refuge in night shelters. The Weather Department has predicted a cloudy sky for Delhi till January 9.

Meanwhile, the air quality in the national capital improved to 'poor' from 'very poor' category on Friday, a day after the national capital experienced intermittent rain spells, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 273, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).