Residents in Delhi and nearby areas woke up to rain, thunder and strong winds on Sunday morning, bringing relief from the unusually high temperatures seen earlier this month. The sudden change in weather made the morning cooler and more pleasant after several days of intense heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Delhi, warning of moderate rain, lightning and gusty winds. Meanwhile, nearby cities such as Noida and Gurugram are under a yellow alert, which indicates the possibility of light rain and cloudy skies.
The weather department had earlier predicted thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds across parts of the western Himalayan region and nearby plains over Sunday and Monday.
Temperatures likely to drop
The rainfall has already started bringing temperatures down in the national capital. According to IMD forecasts, maximum temperatures in Delhi may fall by 3–5°C due to the cloudy weather and rain. However, the temperature may gradually rise again later in the coming week.
Weather officials also said strong surface winds of around 30–40 kmph, with gusts up to 50 kmph, could be seen during the rain spell.
Before the change in weather, Delhi had been experiencing an unusually warm start to March. Earlier in the week, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 36.8°C, making it the hottest day of the year so far and far above the normal levels for this time of the year.
Weather experts say the heat increased because of clear skies and strong sunshine, along with limited impact from western disturbances during the past few days.
Delhi’s AQI
Along with the rain, Delhi’s air quality has shown a small improvement. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) at 153, which falls in the moderate category.
