NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and strong surface winds in the capital on Thursday, a day after stormy weather disrupted normal life across the city.
Dust storms and lightning-lit skies swept across Delhi on Wednesday evening, prompting the IMD to issue an orange alert and inform all State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs). Adverse weather conditions are expected across all districts of the city.
According to the IMD, an orange alert signifies a “be prepared” status, indicating potential disruptions. “Light to moderate rain accompanied with thunderstorms, lightning and strong surface winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, are very likely at many places,” the weather office said.
Weather observations showed strong winds across the city, with Pragati Maidan recording the highest gust at 68 kmph, followed by Pusa at 65 kmph. Other areas, including Palam, Lodi Road, IGNOU, Naraina and Pitampura, also witnessed high wind speeds. The strong winds led to power outages in several areas.
The weather department advised residents to stay indoors, avoid weak structures, and keep away from windows, electric poles and power lines, while securing loose objects.
The impact of the weather was also felt at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, where 22 arriving flights were diverted to nearby airports. Several arrivals and departures were delayed by 30 to 90 minutes due to adverse conditions.
Airlines issued advisories, warning of possible disruptions. Air India said thunderstorms may affect operations, while IndiGo urged passengers to leave early due to traffic delays. SpiceJet also cautioned that departures and arrivals could be impacted.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 18°C, while air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category with an AQI of 214.