Delhi woke up to heavy downpours, strong winds, and dark skies on Friday morning, as a sudden weather shift swept through the capital and surrounding regions. What started off as a fierce storm gave residents a much-needed break from the early summer heat but caused a fair bit of chaos on the ground.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had first issued a red alert, which was later toned down to orange as the system moved through. But even with the downgraded warning, the weather was no joke.
Strong winds, waterlogging, and flight delays
Wind speeds were intense, Pragati Maidan recorded 78 km/h, Palam hit 74 km/h, and other areas like Lodhi Road, Pitampura, and Najafgarh also saw gusts crossing 60 km/h.
Rainfall numbers varied across Delhi. Safdarjung saw 60 mm, Pitampura had 40 mm, Palam received 30.6 mm, Najafgarh got 19.5 mm, and Pusa measured 15 mm. Lighter showers were reported in Delhi University and Narela.
With such intense rainfall in a short span, waterlogging became a major issue. Areas like the Dwarka underpass were flooded, affecting traffic movement. Over at the Delhi airport, flight operations were hit, and passengers were advised to check with airlines for updates on delays.
IMD warns of more bad weather
In its early morning update, the IMD said strong thunderstorms, lightning, and winds ranging between 40 to 90 km/h are expected to continue, especially across the broader Delhi-NCR region.
The advisory also warned of uprooted trees, broken branches, possible power cuts, and damage to weaker structures. People have been urged to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and keep away from trees, power lines, and waterlogged spots.
The IMD stressed, “Be alert and ready to shift to safer locations if the situation worsens.”
Temperatures drop, and air gets cleaner
From 26.8°C on Thursday night, Delhi’s temperature dropped to around 19°C by Friday morning. That sudden chill was noticeable across the city.
But there is one big silver lining, Delhi’s air quality improved sharply. For the first time in weeks, pollution levels came down to “moderate” levels. In fact, it was clean enough that the Commission for Air Quality Management lifted the emergency restrictions that were earlier placed under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The IMD says the current stormy spell isn not over yet. Saturday could bring more strong winds, and thunderstorms and showers are likely on May 4 and 5. The forecast till May 7 shows mostly cloudy skies with temperatures expected to stay between 26 to 35°C.
Independent weather expert Navdeep Dahiya shared on X: “Delhi NCR is seeing strong rains and thunderstorms, with the temperature between 18–21°C. It’s the start of a cool and wet May, with more rain expected this weekend and next week in north and west India.”
