Delhi witnessed a sudden spell of severe weather on Wednesday evening, as dust storms, heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds disrupted normal life across the city and the wider National Capital Region (NCR). The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert, warning residents and authorities to remain prepared for adverse conditions.
This marked the second such weather event in just four days, surprising many residents who had been experiencing hot and humid conditions. The abrupt shift brought intense rainfall and thunderstorms, which the IMD attributed to a western disturbance affecting northern India.
Earlier in the day, the weather department had forecast light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 30–40 km/h during the evening hours. Meteorologists had also warned of the possibility of very severe thunderstorms, including heavy rain and even hail between 5 pm and 7 pm, which largely materialised as predicted.
The impact of the storm was visible across several parts of Delhi and neighbouring regions, where waterlogging slowed traffic and strong winds made commuting difficult. Similar conditions were reported in parts of Haryana, including Charkhi Dadri, while light rain was also recorded in Jammu’s Doda district.
Air travel was significantly affected, with at least 22 flights diverted from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport due to the sudden deterioration in weather conditions. The diversions highlighted the vulnerability of flight operations to rapid weather changes, especially at one of India’s busiest airports.
Authorities had advised residents to stay indoors, avoid open spaces, and keep away from windows during lightning activity. The alert extended beyond Delhi to several areas in Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Rajasthan, indicating a broader regional impact.
Interestingly, just hours before the rainfall, Delhi’s air quality had been recorded in the “poor” category, with an AQI of 232. However, officials decided not to impose GRAP-1 restrictions, as forecasts suggested that weather conditions would help improve air quality in the coming days.
The rainfall also brought temporary relief from rising temperatures, with cooler winds and overcast skies replacing the earlier heat. Similar weather patterns are being observed across different parts of India, including snowfall in the higher reaches of the western Himalayas and thunderstorms in central and western regions.
Meteorologists have indicated that such unstable weather conditions may persist for the next few days, leading to intermittent rainfall, gusty winds, and localised disruptions across multiple regions.
