Delhi gets hit with season’s strongest thunderstorm; wind speed touches 99 km/hr

Six flights were diverted and several flights were delayed at the Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi

Delhi- National Capital Region (NCR) recorded its strongest thunderstorm of the season in the early hours of Saturday, with wind speeds touching 99 km/hour at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, leading to at least six flights being diverted and several flights being delayed. Most parts of the Capital received light to moderate rain after a large cluster of thunder clouds, which began forming in north Rajasthan, moved towards the region, covering large parts of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Haryana too.

Most parts of the Capital received light to moderate rain after a large cluster of thunder clouds, which began forming in north Rajasthan, moved towards the region. (HT Photo/Raj K Raj)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) data showed Safdarjung, representational of Delhi’s weather, received 15.7mm of rainfall till 8.30am this morning. Palam recorded 18.8mm of rainfall, Lodhi road 17mm, Ridge 33.2mm and Ayanagar 19.8mm.

Delhi’s minimum temperature was recorded at 19.3 degree Celsius – seven degrees below normal for this time of the year. It was 20.5 degree Celsius a day earlier. Even with the Sun coming out after 11am, the IMD said, Delhi will largely see a cool day ahead, with the maximum temperature to hover around 29 to 30 degree Celsius. It was 34.9 degree Celsius on Friday.

“Delhi experienced a moderate to severe thunderstorm this morning, with very strong gusty winds. Data from Palam shows that the storm reached Delhi at around 6am from a westerly, south-westerly direction and the wind speed was 65 km/hr, which touched a top speed of 99 km/hour during the course of the storm,” said RK Jenamani, senior scientist at IMD.

An airport official said flights began to be diverted from 6am onwards, with some delays also occurring as flights could not take-off during the period wind speeds were gusting up to 100 km/hour. “At least six flights have been diverted due to bad weather. This was due to rain, lightning and very strong winds,” the official said.

Forecast for the next three days shows Delhi is likely to see more rain, with a yellow alert in place for both Sunday and Monday. “There will be light rain and thundershowers in some places. Rains are expected till Tuesday, before the impact of this western disturbance weakens completely,” he added.

Delhi’s air quality was in the moderate category, with an average air quality (AQI) index reading of 107 at 11am. It was 98 (satisfactory) at 4pm on Friday. Forecasts show AQI is likely to stay moderate now till Tuesday.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies an AQI between 0-50 as good, between 51 and 100 as satisfactory, between 101 and 200 as moderate, between 201 and 300 as poor, between 301 and 400 as very poor and over 400 as severe.