New Delhi: Residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region woke up on Wednesday to a dramatic shift in weather, as intense dust storms gave way to rainfall, offering welcome relief from the severe heatwave that had gripped the area in recent days.
Dark clouds gathered over the region in the early hours, triggering storms and showers triggered by western disturbances. These weather systems sparked atmospheric activity that led to a noticeable drop in temperatures within a short span. The change came after Delhi had been placed under a ‘Yellow alert’ for heatwaves, with temperatures soaring as high as 44.5 degrees Celsius earlier this week.
The maximum temperature, earlier forecast to reach 41 degrees Celsius, is now expected to hover around 38 degrees Celsius following the precipitation.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Akhil Srivastava informed ANI that thunderstorm activity is anticipated in Punjab and Haryana in the coming days, potentially bringing down temperatures by 2-4 degrees Celsius. He noted that an orange alert for thunderstorms has been issued for Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand. Additionally, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely across northeastern India over the next week.
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“In the northern region, a heatwave has been prevailing for the past 15 days. However, due to a western disturbance centred around 66 degrees East longitude, thunderstorm activity is expected in the Western Himalayas and adjoining plains,” Srivastava said. “Alerts have been issued for Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand for thunderstorms and hailstorms. Punjab and Haryana may witness thunderstorms with wind speeds of up to 60 km/h, leading to a drop in maximum temperatures by 2-4 degrees Celsius over the next three days.”
The Regional Weather Forecast Centre (RWFC) in New Delhi had predicted light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph across Delhi and surrounding areas during the morning hours. The forecast covered several districts in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, including Sonipat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Rewari, Palwal, Meerut, Bulandshahar, Alwar, and others. Light rainfall was also expected in various other parts of Haryana such as Jind, Panipat, Hisar, and Bhiwani, as well as Shamli.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s air quality index stood at 260, falling in the “poor” category.
The showers and associated winds have brought a pleasant change to the capital, with visuals from areas like India Gate and Kartavya Path capturing the morning transformation amid ongoing thunderstorm activity.