New Delhi: Parts of the national capital woke up to rain, gusty winds, and thunderstorms on Wednesday morning, bringing much-needed relief from the sweltering heat that had gripped the region over the past few days. Areas across the National Capital Region (NCR), including Noida and Ghaziabad, reported similar weather conditions.
IMD issues yellow and orange alerts
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Delhi, valid until around 8.30 am, warning residents of light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds.
Neighbouring cities such as Gurgaon and Faridabad were also placed under a yellow alert. Meanwhile, Noida and Ghaziabad were issued an orange alert, indicating a higher intensity of weather activity.
In addition, several districts in western Uttar Pradesh including Bulandshahr, Meerut, and Hapur as well as parts of Haryana such as Jhajjar, Rewari, Rohtak, and Mahendragarh, were placed under orange alert on Wednesday morning.
Sudden weather change after hot spell
The change in weather comes just a day after Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 39.2°C and a minimum of 28.4°C on April 28, indicating a sharp shift in conditions.
According to the IMD’s forecast, the maximum temperature in Delhi on Wednesday is expected to settle between 37°C and 39°C, while the minimum temperature is likely to hover around 26°C to 28°C.
The department also predicted spells of light rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and surface winds reaching speeds of 30–40 kmph during the afternoon and evening.
Rain likely to continue briefly
The IMD has indicated that similar weather conditions may persist on Thursday, with a generally cloudy sky and chances of light rain and thunderstorms across Delhi-NCR.
However, the department expects the weather to stabilise later in the week, with temperatures gradually returning to normal levels.
Weather outlook for other regions
Beyond Delhi-NCR, the IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in northeastern states, including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Sikkim.
Parts of West Bengal are also likely to receive heavy rainfall, coinciding with the second phase of Assembly elections being conducted across 142 constituencies in the state.
In northern regions, isolated areas in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand may witness thunderstorms accompanied by hailstorms.
Additionally, several parts of the country, including Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and the Vidarbha region, are expected to experience thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40–50 kmph.
Conclusion
The sudden spell of rain and thunderstorms has provided temporary relief to residents of Delhi-NCR from the intense heat. However, with fluctuating weather conditions and alerts in place, authorities have advised people to remain cautious and stay updated with official forecasts as the situation evolves.