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Severe thunderstorm warning for Delhi-NCR, IMD red alert in some parts as skies turn grey
The outer parts of the National Capital Region (NCR), like Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, are under a red alert.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgraded Delhi's yellow alert to orange and placed other parts of NCR - Noida, Ghaziabad and Meerut - under a red alert over rain and thunderstorms on Thursday evening. Haryana's Gurugram and Faridabad were initially under a yellow alert, but that warning has been upgraded to orange.
The alerts were in effect till around 7 pm, according to the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) nowcast, as rain and intense hailstorms hit parts of NCR amid dark skies.
According to IMD, areas under a red alert were expected to experience moderate to severe thunderstorms, while areas under an orange alert could see a moderate thunderstorm.
Light rain and thunderstorms were expected in areas under a yellow alert.
The national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 25.4 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung on Thursday morning, with the IMD forecasting thunderstorms with rain at isolated places later in the day.
Among other stations, Palam recorded a minimum of 24.9 degrees Celsius, Lodhi Road 23.6 degrees Celsius, Ridge 25 degrees Celsius, and Ayanagar 24.1 degrees Celsius.
The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 36 degrees Celsius, with thunderstorms and rain in isolated areas, the IMD morning forecast had said.
The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 136, placing it in the 'moderate' category.
Contrasting April for Delhi weather
Delhiites witnessed a striking mix of weather conditions in April this year, with spells of rain, bouts of heat and occasional days of clean air, making it the wettest April in over a decade, among the least polluted, and one of the coolest in recent years.
The city recorded its wettest April in 18 years, with pre-monsoon showers lashing parts of the capital in the first half of the month. As of now, the capital has received 27.9 mm of rainfall this April, compared to 38.6 mm recorded in April 2008, according to official data.
Despite experiencing phases of intense heat, the city also enjoyed one of its coolest Aprils in two years, with an average maximum temperature of around 37 degrees Celsius. Notably, only one heatwave day has been recorded so far, according to the IMD.
The rain and gusty winds also helped lower pollution levels, making this April the cleanest in four years, according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
The city recorded an average AQI of 179 till April 28, with one "satisfactory", 17 "moderate" and 10 "poor" air quality days, the data revealed.
In contrast, the average AQI for April last year was 210, with 10 "moderate" and 20 "poor" days. In 2024, the average AQI was 182, featuring 23 "moderate" days and a "poor" day, while in 2023, it was 180, with 17 "moderate" and 13 "poor" days. In 2022, the AQI was significantly higher at 255, including 29 "poor" days and a "very" poor day.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI of 0–50 is considered "good", 51–100 "satisfactory", 101–200 "moderate", 201–300 "poor", 301–400 "very poor" and 401–500 "severe".
