Delhi witnessed a dramatic change in weather on Monday afternoon as a powerful dust storm, accompanied by strong winds, swept across several parts of the national capital. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) responded by issuing a red alert, warning of thunderstorms, rainfall, lightning and high-speed winds across the city.
According to the IMD, a dust storm followed by thunderstorms and light to moderate rainfall is very likely to affect the entire Delhi region. Strong winds ranging between 70 and 90 kmph were reported, creating challenging conditions for commuters and residents. At Palam, wind speeds touched 50 knots, or approximately 92 kmph, at around 2:30 pm.
The weather department has forecast light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 60-70 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 80 kmph in several areas. Residents have been advised to remain cautious and avoid unnecessary outdoor movement during periods of intense weather activity.
Meteorologists attributed the sudden weather shift to the influence of an active western disturbance affecting the Himalayan region. The system has triggered unstable atmospheric conditions over northwestern India, resulting in dust storms and rainfall over Delhi and adjoining areas.
Weather experts, however, expect the impact of the western disturbance to weaken from Tuesday onwards. As a result, temperatures are likely to rise again across the capital after the brief spell of relief from the prevailing heat.
Delhi also received light rainfall during the morning hours before the afternoon storm intensified weather activity across the city.
Meanwhile, Safdarjung, the city’s primary weather observatory, recorded a minimum temperature of 28.2 degrees Celsius, which was 0.7 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as adverse weather conditions persist in parts of the capital.
