More rain expected in Delhi from May 3-5 as fresh western disturbance approaches

Temperatures are likely to rise from Friday but more rain is in store for Delhi, with a western disturbance expected to influence northwest India from May 2

Parts of Delhi-NCR were hit by a thunderstorm on Thursday, with gusty winds, rain and even hail recorded in pockets, providing relief from scorching heat as the maximum temperature fell by at least 10 degrees Celsius. Though temperatures are likely to rise from Friday, more rain is in store for the city, with a fresh western disturbance expected to influence northwest India from May 2, likely bringing light rainfall and gusty winds in Delhi from May 3-5.

Parts of Delhi-NCR were lashed by a thunderstorm on Thursday, with gusty winds, rain, and even hail reported in some areas. (Arvind Yadav/ Hindustan Times)

The storm led to a sudden drop in temperatures across the region post 3 pm. At Safdarjung, the city’s base station, the mercury fell from 40°C to 30°C. Other stations recorded similar sharp declines, with Lodhi Road, Pragati Maidan and Ayanagar logging drops of 11°C, 10.8°C and 11.7°C, respectively. The steepest fall was recorded at Hindon, where temperatures dipped by 17.1°C.

“The eastern and northeastern parts of Delhi-NCR, including Noida and Ghaziabad, experienced comparatively larger temperature fall of the order of 14-17°C due to rain and hailstorm activity,” said IMD scientist Krishna Mishra.

While Safdarjung recorded no rain between 8.30am and 5.30pm, Mayur Vihar logged 5.5 mm, Noida recorded 8.5 mm, and Hindon 10.5 mm during the same period.

Wind peaked at 52 km/hr at Pusa, 50 km/hr at Noida, 48 km/hr at Palam and Pitampura, 43 km/hr at Lodhi Road, 41 km/hr at Pragati Maidan and Jafarpur, 36 km/hr at Safdarjung, and 28 km/hr at Janakpuri.

Meanwhile, hail was reported from several places in east Delhi, including Krishna Nagar, Bhajanpura, Maujpur, Ghonda, Usmanpur, Shastri Park, Seelampur, Shahdara, Welcome, the Delhi-Meerut Expressway.

Hailstorms were also reported in Ghaziabad’s Sahibabad, where large hailstones disrupted movement, while Noida’s sector 11 and 57 also saw hail. Minor damages, including to the PVC sheds, were reported.

“The hailstones were surprisingly large and people rushed indoors,” said Sanjeev Kumar, a resident of Sector 52, Noida.

BS Vohra, president of the East Delhi RWA Joint Front, said several places in east Delhi witnessed hail.

“People had to immediately rush indoors. My phone nearly fell after it was hit by a hailstone the size of an apricot,” he said.

Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet Weather said, “An active western disturbance, is driving the current weather. The system is moving east-northeast and interacting with moisture incursion over the plains. This is leading to intense thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, squally winds and isolated hail across Delhi-NCR, including Noida and Ghaziabad.”

Even so, the day’s maximum temperature settled at 39.9°C – a degree above normal – down to clear skies till around 2 pm. The minimum temperature settled at 25.4°C, two degrees above normal.

The IMD has forecast highs of 39-41°C and a low of 23-25°C on Friday, and a maximum of 40-42°C on Saturday.

The rain also had a cleansing effect. Delhi’s air quality stood at 148 (moderate) on Thursday – down from a reading of 183 (moderate) a day earlier.

Forecasts by the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi (EWS) show AQI is likely to stay “moderate” till at least May 3.

(With inputs from Maria Khan in Noida)