Delhi wakes up to rain, thunderstorms, temperatures likely to drop

India has witnessed a rapid shift in weather patterns in recent days, with early summer conditions setting in across large parts of the country. Even as temperatures rise, several regions are likely to experience rainfall, thunderstorms and gusty winds over the next few days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).  Rain, thunderstorms in Delhi 

Residents in the national capital woke up to light rain and thunderstorms on Sunday morning as the weather turned pleasant after several days of rising temperatures.

 

According to the IMD, the temperature in Delhi was recorded at 22.2 degrees Celsius at 5.30 am. Visuals from areas such as Pandit Pant Marg and Ferozeshah Road showed wet streets as residents moved through light showers, reported ANI. The IMD said the rainfall was accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of around 40-50 kmph in several parts of the city. 

 

 

The weather department has forecast thunderstorms, lightning and the possibility of hailstorms in Delhi over the next two days. No specific warning has been issued for the remaining days of the week so far.

 

Meanwhile, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 195 at 8 am, placing it in the “moderate” category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). 

 

As per CPCB guidelines, the moderate category (101–200) indicates rising pollution levels that may trigger breathing discomfort for people with asthma, lung conditions or heart disease.

  Rain and storms likely in northern states

 

The western Himalayan region is likely to witness light rain or snowfall, with precipitation expected to become more widespread over the coming days.

 

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-50 kmph are likely across Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Similar weather activity is also expected over parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

 

Heavy rain and strong winds in northeast, east India

 

In the northeast, fairly widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is expected across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya over the next several days. Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura may also see rain and gusty winds during the period.

 

West Bengal and Sikkim are likely to witness fairly widespread rainfall along with thunderstorms and strong winds. Several eastern and central states, including Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha and parts of Madhya Pradesh are also likely to receive fairly widespread rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds. Some areas may experience thundersqualls with wind speeds potentially touching 60–70 kmph.

 

Rain likely in parts of south India

 

Parts of southern India are also expected to experience unstable weather conditions.

 

The IMD has forecast isolated to scattered rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds over Telangana, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Mahe over the coming days.

 

Heatwave forecast

 

Even as rain activity spreads across several parts of the country, heatwave conditions are likely in isolated pockets of Vidarbha, Jharkhand and Odisha. Hot and humid conditions may also prevail in parts of Konkan and Goa as well as Kerala and Mahe.

 

Delhi weather outlook

 

According to IMD, a yellow alert has been issued for Delhi on Sunday with generally cloudy skies expected through the day.

 

The weather department has forecast a spell of very light rain or drizzle accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and strong surface winds during the morning and forenoon hours. Wind speeds may reach 30-40 kmph, gusting up to around 50 kmph.

 

The maximum temperature in the national capital is likely to hover between 27 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is expected to remain around 18 degrees Celsius.

 

Temperature trends

 

According to the IMD, maximum temperatures across several regions are expected to gradually fall by around 2-4 degrees Celsius over the coming days.

 

Northwest India is likely to see a gradual drop in temperatures after a brief period of stability. Similar cooling trends are expected in parts of central, western and southern India, including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and the southern peninsula.