Heavy rains hit parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Tuesday afternoon as the humidity and heat wave of Delhi and NCR lifted. As the rain pounded the capital, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued weather alerts warning of thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds in the area.
The IMD has placed North Delhi on a Red Alert and has predicted moderate rainfall in most areas and heavy rain in a few. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of up to 70 kmph will be observed in parts of the district, the weather department said.
For the rest of Delhi, we have an Orange Alert. The IMD has predicted moderate rainfall in most areas and thunderstorms, lightning and winds reaching speeds of 50-60 kmph. Residents are also advised to stay indoors during heavy rain and avoid sheltering under trees and electricity poles during thunderstorms.
Rain Ends Sultry Conditions
The rain came as a warm relief after Delhi had one of the most uncomfortable mornings of the monsoon season.
According to the IMD, the minimum temperature in the city was 30°C, the highest since July 2, 2024, when it was 30.7°C. High humidity levels made it even worse, with ‘feels like’ temperature rising to 44.7°C at 8:30 a.m. and relative humidity at 79%.
The weather department predicted that the maximum temperature will be around 36°C and mostly cloudy skies will be present throughout the day.
From the weather observatories located at Delhi, Lodhi Road recorded a minimum temperature of 30.4°C, Palam 28.3°C, Ayanagar 28.6°C, Ridge 24.9°C.
Wet Spell Most Likely to Persist
The IMD is predicting that Delhi-NCR will remain wet over the next five days with light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms and gusty winds in the region.
According to the district-wise prediction from the Urban Meteorological Services, similar weather conditions are expected in all 15 districts in Delhi including North, South, East, West, Central and New Delhi.
The forecast also applies to major NCR cities like Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad, as well as nearby areas like Panipat, Meerut, Rewari and Alwar.
Authorities have advised residents to remain cautious, especially during thunderstorms, as strong winds and lightning can disrupt normal life and pose safety risks.
Monsoon Advances Further
In the meantime, the southwest monsoon has moved further into Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana, the IMD said. The weather agency expects the monsoon to cover the rest of the country over the next two to three days, with heavy rain in some states.
Given more showers forecast for the next several days, Delhi residents can expect a substantial drop in temperatures, but occasionally heavy rains in the capital and NCR will still cause some localized disruptions.
