NEW DELHI: Delhi-NCR witnessed a dramatic shift in weather on Wednesday evening as a massive dust storm, followed by a hailstorm and heavy rain with wind speed of 79 kmph, swept across the region, bringing much-needed relief after days of intense heat and high humidity. The sudden change came after the “feels like” temperature in the capital touched a scorching 50.2 degrees celsius earlier in the day.
The storm, which brought gusty winds, hail and rainfall, caused widespread disruptions across the region. Trees were uprooted in several areas of Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad. In some parts, the impact was severe enough to damage property and block roads.
Flight operations were hit at the Delhi airport, while Metro passengers on the Yellow Line were stranded for hours.
"Our flight schedules are currently impacted due to the heavy rains and thunderstorm sweeping across Delhi, Chandigarh and Kolkata," IndiGo said in a post on X.
Air India, in a post on X, said rain and thunderstorms may disrupt flights to/from Delhi this evening.
"Due to bad weather (thunderstorm with heavy rain) in Delhi (DEL), all departures/ arrivals and their consequential flights may get affected. Additionally, traffic movement to the airport might be affected due to heavy rains," SpiceJet said in a post on X.
Wind speeds between 35 kmph and 79 kmph were recorded in Palam and Safdarjung, prompting the IMD to issue a ‘red alert’ for several districts.
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 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.
The Delhi Traffic Police, through its official social media platforms, issued a traffic alert stating that traffic is affected on Mathura Road in the carriageway from Neela Gumbad towards Ashram due to the uprooting of a tree opposite P S Nizamuddin.
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.
The IMD reported that the actual maximum temperature in Delhi reached 40.7 degrees celsius, 0.5 degrees celsius above the seasonal average, while humidity levels ranged between 64% and 34%. The minimum temperature, recorded at 30.2 degrees celsius, was the highest of the season so far and 3.5 degrees celsius above normal. The high humidity made conditions especially uncomfortable for residents.
In its nowcast update, the IMD said that the convection has moved southwards, away from most parts of North, Northwest, West, Southwest, and Northeast Delhi, and is currently over South and East Delhi as well as Noida.
It is likely to move away from Delhi within the next hour.
The IMD also reported a sharp drop in temperature, noting a 14-degree Celsius fall from 37 degrees Celsius in Palam due to the sudden weather change.
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).
The 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.
The IMD has forecast a partly cloudy sky for Thursday, with chances of light rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and winds reaching up to 40 kmph. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 40 degrees celsius and 29 degrees celsius, respectively.
(With inputs from PTI)