Heavy rain, hail stones and strong winds crippled the Delhi-NCR on Wednesday evening, exposing the Delhi Government’s much vaunted preparedness to meet such existency. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Delhi-NCR around 8.30 pm, warning of more intense weather activity over the next couple of hour.
A sudden dust storm with heavy rain accompanied a hailstorm hit Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), bringing relief from the heatwave conditions prevalent in the national Capital but also disrupting traffic, leading to water logging and power outages in several areas. Many areas reported disruption in electricity supply at the time filing of this report.
Flight operations were hit at the Delhi airport, while Metro passengers on the Yellow Line were stranded for hours. Hoardings fell and trees were uprooted in many localities, with some areas reporting wind speeds of up to 79 kmph.
An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar was caught in a sudden hailstorm mid-air on Wednesday evening, causing visible damage to the aircraft but prompting a swift and controlled response from the crew. The airline confirmed that flight 6E 2142 landed safely in Srinagar following standard operating procedures. The flight, 6E2142, was nearing Srinagar when it encountered intense weather activity. Hail stones pounded the aircraft as it descended, resulting in what the airline described as “weather-related damage” to the nose of the aircraft.
Airline companies issued advisories, saying the change in weather might impact flight operations. In a post on X, the Delhi airport said flight operations might be impacted due to the inclement weather, advising passengers to contact the concerned airlines for an updated flight schedule. In separate advisories, Air India and IndiGo advised passengers to check their flight status before reaching the airport.
According to Tata Powers, power disruptions were witnessed in areas across the Capital such as parts of Bawana, Narela, Jahangirpuri, Civil Lines, Shakti Nagar, Model Town, Wazirabad, Dhirpur, Burari. Power lines were damaged by falling trees and branches. “To ensure public safety, electricity supply had to be temporarily suspended in certain areas as a precaution to prevent electrocution,” it said.
The storm hit just around 8 pm with sudden gusts of winds, and was followed by rain, thunder and hail. While it caused a disruption in life, it also brought relief for the residents of the region from the intense heat experienced in recent days. Smites of wind and dust hit several parts of the capital, reducing visibility.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD),winds with speeds of 70-80 kmph were reported across Delhi and nearby areas.
Gusty winds swept over the capital city, Ghaziabad, Noida and Gurugram leaving shattered windows and damaged hoardings in their wake. A hailstorm in Delhi’s Lodi Road, and 79 kmph wind was reported over Safdarjung. Visuals showed trees swaying violently due to strong winds. Visuals also showed trees uprooted due to the storm.Many trees and hoardings in the national capital toppled due to the storm.
Strong winds and dust storms hit several parts of the capital, with the city’s primary weather station in Safdarjung recording wind speeds of 79 kmph, while Palam reported 74 kmph, Pragati Maidan 78 kmph, and Pitampura 65 kmph, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). In the three hours between 5.30 pm and 8.30 pm, Safdarjung recorded 12.2 mm of rainfall. Other stations also reported showers, Mayur Vihar recorded 13 mm, and Pitampura reported 5 mm of rainfall.
According to the weather department, winds with speeds of 60-70 kmph were reported across Delhi and nearby areas. Palam recorded a wind speed of 20 knots (approximately 35 kmph), gusting up to 40 knots (around 72 kmph).
According to a report from the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) at Palika Kendra, 13 tree fall complaints were received from the NDMC area alone. Tree branches fell in several areas, including Vikas Marg, Akshardham Road, Sikandra Road, Firoz Shah Road, and on the loop towards Akshardham Road. A billboard fell on Vikas Marg near the Laxmi Nagar red light intersection. Waterlogging was witnessed in several areas, including near the Akshardham Flyover, Sikandra Road, and under Tilak Bridge near ITO.
IMD said a cyclonic circulation over Haryana and its neighbouring areas, embedded in an east-west trough extending from Punjab to Bangladesh in the lower tropospheric levels, is influencing the weather. Moisture is feeding into the system from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, it added.
IMD said the storm was driven by a cyclonic circulation forming over neighbouring Haryana. The system was further intensified by moisture-laden winds blowing in from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Around 8:30 pm, the IMD issued a red alert for Delhi-NCR, warning of further intense weather activity through the night.
Despite the chaos, the storm was a welcome respite from the blistering heat that had engulfed the region over the past few days. The weather shift came hours after Delhi experienced sweltering conditions, with the heat index - or the “feels like” temperature - soaring to 50.2 degrees Celsius, owing to a mix of high humidity and intense sunshine.
Although the maximum temperature at Safdarjung weather station was recorded 40.7 degree Celsius while humidity ranged between 64 and 34 per cent during the day. This is the third consecutive day when the Delhi-NCR felt close to between 48-50 degree Celsius.
The coming days will also test the citizens more with the nine-day intense heat phase called “Nautapa” a period of extreme heat, starting May 25, the heat index is expected to touch 55 degree Celsius. It stood at 48.5°C Monday up from 43.6°C on the previous day. Weatherman, moreover, has forecast hot and sultry conditions for the next three four days.
Amid the scorching heat, aggravated due to high levels of humidity, the power demand on Wednesday leapt further amid intense summer heat, peaking at 7748 MW, highest so far this year. The peak demand was recorded by State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) Delhi at 15.29 pm. It was the highest peak power demand on May 21 since 2020, officials said. The all time high peak demand in May month was recorded at 8302 MW last year. Delhi registered its all time high peak demand at 8656 MW on June 19, 2024. It is likely to cross 9000 MW this year, Discoms said. The BSES discoms “successfully” met the peak power demand of 3427 MW and 1667 MW respectively, as Delhi recorded season’s highest demand on Wednesday, said a company spokesperson. A Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) statement said that that the discom “successfully” met its peak demand of 2245 MW , the highest so far this season, without any network constraint or power disruption.
Delhi registered its highest minimum temperature on Wednesday at 35.2 degrees Celsius, the highest in 60 years, and only 0.3 degree Celsius lower than the 1964 record. On 10 June, 1964, Delhi had recorded a minimum temperature of 35.5 degree Celsius. The previous highest temperature since 2000 was recorded on June 3, 2000 at 34.7 degree Celsius.
Entire country is staying united. But at this juncture… Why make such statements? Just to gain cheap popularity on this occasion?” Justice Kant said. Sibal agreed that it was not the occasion for making such comments but said the remarks needed to be viewed in a way that there was no criminality involved in those remarks.