Delhi Weather Alert: Rain, Strong Winds Hit Delhi-NCR; Several Areas See Traffic Jams

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning for the Delhi-NCR region, alerting residents of prospective weather disturbances. An orange alert was announced, signaling expectations of light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, or even dust storms in certain areas. Specifically, North Delhi and Southwest NCR were highlighted as zones where wind speeds could reach between 50-60 kmph, while the rest of the region was placed under a yellow alert. This advisory comes in the wake of Delhi experiencing a significant amount of rainfall this May, totaling 186.4 mm, which starkly surpasses the usual 30.7 mm norm for the month, as per IMD records.

The IMD, later in the day, updated its forecast, indicating the movement of a "northwest-southeast oriented northeastward moving cloud cluster/squall line" towards Delhi. This phenomenon was expected to bring additional light rainfall, thunderstorms, and robust winds, with speeds between 50-60 kmph and possibly peaking at 70 kmph. Following this, areas like Rohtak and Jind reported wind speeds reaching up to 60-65 kmph, influenced by this weather pattern. Some regions in Northwest Delhi even started witnessing very light rainfall, according to IMD updates.

Subsequently, another alert was released by the IMD which read: "In continuation with previous weather alert 31/05/2025: 15:00 IST; Dust storm followed by Thunderstorm with light to moderate rainfall and lightning (50-60 Km/h gusty winds) is very likely to occur at North Delhi, North-East Delhi, North-West Delhi, West Delhi, Central Delhi, East Delhi, NCR (Loni Dehat, Hindon AF Station) during next 2 hours." This warning underscored the likelihood of various parts of Delhi and its surrounding areas facing adverse weather conditions, marking a continuation of the unpredictable weather pattern observed throughout the month.

The rainfall this month not only exceeded expectations but also set a new record with 186.4 mm of rain, surpassing the previous high of 165 mm recorded in 2008. The city experienced its heaviest downpour on May 25, with a 24-hour rainfall of 81.44 mm at Safdarjung. This month's weather has been characterized by a blend of extremes, from scorching heat and humidity to unexpected hailstorms and heavy rainfall, although, notably, there were no official heatwave days-a contrast to the previous May which recorded six.