Thunderstorms sweep Delhi after days of scorching heat
After days of sweltering heatwave conditions, Delhi and its adjoining areas breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday evening as heavy rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds swept parts of the national Capital.
The sudden change in weather came hours after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert, predicting strong winds, moderate to heavy rains and thunderstorms. The change in weather impacted flights to and from the national Capital, with the Delhi Airport, SpiceJet and IndiGo issuing advisories for passengers.
Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah’s Delhi-bound flight was diverted to Jaipur due to bad weather. “The special flight carrying Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has landed in Jaipur instead of Delhi due to adverse weather conditions. Karnataka in-charge and Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, Ministers K J George, Bairathi Suresh, legal advisor Ponnanna, Siddaramaiah’s MLC son Yatindra, Congress secretary Abhishek Dutt were in the flight,” the CMO of Karnataka said in a statement.
The Delhi Airport Authority in a post on X, issued a warning that flights may be impacted due to the weather. “Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Passengers can consider alternative modes of transport, including the Delhi Metro, to get to the Airport to avoid potential delays,” it said.
According to IMD data, maximum temperatures across the city on Thursday fell by around 3 to 5 degrees Celsius compared to the previous day. The weather office said the current spell of rain and thunderstorm activity is expected to continue till May 31.
According to the IMD, heatwave conditions in Northwest India is expected to ease over the next three days due to incoming western disturbances and easterly winds, alongside warnings of thunderstorms, strong winds and hailstorms in several regions.
Mahesh Palawat, vice president meteorology and climate change, Skymet Weather, attributed the weather activity to a western disturbance over the hills, an induced cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan and adjoining areas, along with humid winds from the Bay of Bengal that have increased moisture levels over the city.
The IMD has issued an orange alert for Friday, forecasting thunderstorms with rain. The minimum temperature is expected to settle around 24 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature is likely to see a major drop and remain around 36 degrees Celsius. The weather office said the current spell of rain and thunderstorm activity is likely to continue till May 31.
Delhi had recorded 13.61 mm rainfall over five days in May before the current spell, according to the IMD. The latest pre-monsoon activity comes after the city reeled under severe heatwave conditions over the past few days.