Severe weather

The Regional Weather Forecasting Centre has warned of dust storms, thunderstorms, light rain and lightning across parts of Delhi-NCR and nearby states over the next few hours. Officials have advised caution as strong winds may reduce visibility, disrupt traffic and create localised outages.After days of intense heatwave conditions, parts of Delhi NCR witnessed a noticeable change in weather on Saturday morning as grey clouds covered the sky and cool winds brought relief to residents. Visuals from Rafi Marg region showed cloudy conditions and breezy weather, marking a temporary break from the scorching temperatures experienced over the past several days.The change in weather comes amid a fresh alert issued by the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC), which warned of dust storms followed by thunderstorms, light rainfall, drizzle and lightning across several parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).On Friday, Delhi saw its four-day heatwave spell ease slightly, but the IMD had said that residents are unlikely to get major relief from the scorching weather anytime soon. They had issued an orange alert for heatwave conditions from Saturday till May 28, warning that temperatures could rise to between 44 and 46 degrees Celsius from Sunday onwards.According to the forecast issued at 8:30 am on May 23, gusty winds with speeds of 30 to 50 kmph are likely to accompany the weather activity over the next few hours.Dust storms are very likely at many places, followed by moderate to severe thunderstorms with light rain/drizzle, lightning, and gusty winds of 60–80 km/h.The safety advisory urges securing outdoor items, avoiding open areas, and staying informed to minimise risks from the expected weather.
The weather office said many areas across Delhi-NCR, along with parts of Haryana and Rajasthan, are expected to witness dust storms and thundershowers.The RWFC specifically named Sonipat, Kharkhoda, Charkhi Dadri, Mattanhail, Jhajjar, Farukhnagar, Kosali, Sohna, Rewari, Palwal, Nuh and Aurangabad in Haryana, as well as Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, among the areas likely to be affected.Officials advised residents to remain cautious during thunderstorm activity as strong winds and lightning may temporarily reduce visibility and disrupt traffic movement. People have also been advised to avoid taking shelter under trees and weak structures during gusty weather conditions.Friday’s minimum temperature in Delhi settled at 29.3 degrees Celsius, which was three degrees above normal. However, the city did not qualify for the India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s “warm night” category, as the criterion requires the minimum temperature to be at least 4.5 degrees above normal when the maximum temperature crosses 40 degrees Celsius.