New Delhi: A powerful thunderstorm, accompanied by heavy rainfall, swept through Delhi overnight, offering respite from the oppressive heat while simultaneously causing significant disruptions. The storm uprooted trees and electricity poles, led to waterlogging in various areas, and severely impacted flight operations.
The abrupt shift in weather resulted in a dramatic drop in temperature, with the city recording a minimum of 19.8 degrees Celsius—6.9 degrees below the seasonal average.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the primary weather station at Safdarjung reported wind gusts reaching up to 82 km/h and recorded 81.2 mm of rain within a six-hour period, from 11:30 PM to 5:30 AM. Other areas also experienced substantial rainfall, with Palam measuring 68.1 mm, Pusa 71 mm, Mayur Vihar 48 mm, Narela 30 mm, and Delhi University 29 mm.
The inclement weather led to the diversion of 49 flights, including 17 international ones, at Indira Gandhi International Airport, the country’s busiest airport. Waterlogging was particularly severe at Terminal 3, causing further delays. Flight tracking website Flightradar24.com indicated that approximately 180 flights were delayed, with some cancellations reported.
In the city, numerous roads—including Moti Bagh, Minto Road, ITO, Dhaula Kuan, Delhi Cantonment, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, and Chanakyapuri—were partially submerged. Disturbing images and videos circulating on social media depicted vehicles, including a car and a bus, nearly submerged in an inundated underpass in the Delhi Cantonment area, as well as similar scenes from Minto Road.
On Saturday night, the meteorological department issued a red alert, warning of an impending thunderstorm cell approaching from the west and northwest. The forecast indicated the likelihood of severe thunderstorms, dust-raising winds, frequent lightning, and gusty conditions.
Several areas across the national capital experienced strong winds, with Palam recording gusts of 72 km/h, Pragati Maidan at 76 km/h, Jafarpur at 61 km/h, and IGNOU at 50 km/h.
Following the heavy rainfall associated with the thunderstorm, Delhi’s temperature plummeted significantly between 1:15 AM and 2:30 AM. At Safdarjung, the temperature dropped from 31°C to 21°C, while Palam experienced a decrease from 29°C to 22°C. Pusa recorded a decline from 31.8°C to 20.5°C, Pragati Maidan from 31.4°C to 21.3°C, and Lodhi Road from 31°C to 22.3°C.
Looking ahead to Sunday, the weather department predicts continued thunderstorms accompanied by rain, with the maximum temperature expected to reach around 38°C.
