Rain, Thunderstorm Lash Delhi-NCR; IMD Issues Orange Alert Amid Heat Relief

Parts of Delhi-NCR witnessed rain and thunderstorms on Saturday, bringing down temperatures and prompting the IMD to issue an orange alert for gusty winds and lightning.

Gusty winds and light to moderate rainfall swept across several parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Saturday, providing a welcome respite from the scorching heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert, warning of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and wind speeds ranging between 40–60 kmph.

According to the latest advisory released by the IMD at 2:26 pm, thunderstorms and rain are expected to continue over many areas in Delhi within the next three hours.

Rainfall was reported from localities including Central Delhi, Maharani Bagh, and Mayur Vihar, along with parts of Ghaziabad and Noida. Visuals captured by news agency ANI showed traffic moving through rain-soaked roads.

The sudden weather change brought down the maximum temperature forecast of 42°C. The minimum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 24.3°C, which is 2.2 degrees below normal.

As of 8:30 am, Delhi’s relative humidity stood at 55%, contributing to the sultry weather ahead of the rain. Air quality in the national capital remained in the “moderate” category, with an AQI of 183 at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The CPCB classifies AQI levels between 101–200 as moderate, while levels above 200 enter the ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories.

Earlier in the day, the IMD had predicted that the region could see thunderstorms and rain due to western disturbances impacting North India. The department has asked residents to stay indoors during periods of high wind and lightning activity and avoid unnecessary travel.