NEW DELHI: A day after intense rain, thunderstorms and dust storms battered Delhi-NCR on Wednesday evening, the region woke up to a lighter spell of rain on Thursday morning, with India Meteorological Department (IMD) continuing a yellow alert for the day.While Thursday’s showers remained mild compared to Wednesday’s high-intensity storm, the wet spell is expected to persist, accompanied by cloudy skies and gusty winds reaching 30–40 kmph, with gusts up to 50 kmph.The sudden change in weather has brought relief from the early March heat, with IMD confirming that the recent heatwave-like conditions have subsided. “There’s an ongoing western disturbance impacting northwest India till around March 21. Two more active systems are likely around March 23 and March 27. Temperatures are expected to remain normal to below normal,” said IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.
Stormy Wednesday disrupts city life
On Wednesday evening, strong winds, lightning and heavy rain swept across the capital, leading to widespread disruption. Wind speeds touched 68 kmph at Pragati Maidan, 65 kmph at Pusa and 52 kmph at Palam, while several areas recorded moderate rainfall, including 11.5 mm at CRPF camp and over 10 mm in Janakpuri.The storm triggered traffic chaos across key stretches such as Vikas Marg, ITO, NH-24 and the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, worsened by a tree fall and peak-hour congestion. Commuters reported long delays, with many journeys taking nearly twice the usual time.Flight operations were also hit, with at least 16–22 flights diverted and over 300 delayed at IGI Airport due to adverse weather conditions.
Temperatures dip sharply
The rainfall led to a sharp drop in temperatures within a short span. Between 6.45 pm and 7.15 pm on Wednesday, mercury levels fell by up to 10°C at Safdarjung and Palam. The maximum temperature, which had earlier touched 36.8°C on March 11, is now expected to drop further to around 27°C by Friday.On Thursday, the maximum temperature is likely to hover between 28°C and 30°C, dipping to 26–28°C on Friday, remaining below normal for this time of the year.
More rain likely over next two days
IMD has forecast continued light rain or drizzle through Thursday and Friday, with thunderstorms and gusty winds. The current western disturbance is expected to affect the region for the next two to three days, followed by additional systems later this month.The shift in weather marks a significant departure from the dry winter and unusually warm February, raising hopes of delaying the onset of an intense summer in north India.
Wider impact across north India
The weather system has also brought snowfall to higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, with temperatures dropping sharply. Srinagar’s maximum temperature fell from 19.4°C on March 14 to around 11°C, while areas like Gulmarg and Sonamarg received fresh snowfall.In Himachal, higher reaches recorded snow while mid and lower hills saw light to moderate rain, with alerts issued for heavier precipitation.Despite the showers, Delhi’s air quality deteriorated, with the AQI slipping to 232 (‘poor’) on Wednesday from 189 (‘moderate’) a day earlier. Authorities, however, said no immediate restrictions under GRAP would be reimposed as trends remain under watch.
