India
A sudden and intense spell of thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain swept across Delhi-NCR on Thursday afternoon, bringing widespread disruption across the national capital region. After several days of scorching summer heat, the weather shift provided temporary relief, but also led to severe waterlogging, uprooted trees, and traffic chaos in multiple areas.
According to visuals shared by news agency ANI and other sources, strong gusty winds combined with heavy rainfall resulted in trees being uprooted in several pockets of Noida, including areas around Film City in Sector 16. The storm’s intensity also caused disruption in transport and daily movement as roads quickly became waterlogged in several parts of Delhi and adjoining cities.
In the national capital, waterlogging was reported in key locations, including areas near the Akshardham temple, where heavy rain overwhelmed drainage systems. Commuters faced significant difficulties as roads were submerged and traffic movement slowed down considerably.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) initially issued a yellow alert for the region, which was later upgraded as weather conditions intensified. By the afternoon, dark clouds, strong winds, and heavy rainfall prompted authorities to issue a higher alert level. As of 7 PM, an orange alert remained in effect for Delhi, Noida, Faridabad, and Gurugram, warning residents of continued adverse weather conditions.
Meteorologists have forecast that the maximum temperature in Delhi will continue to hover between 40 and 42 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is expected to remain around 29.7 degrees Celsius. Despite the storm, the region is likely to experience a partly cloudy sky in the coming hours, with wind speeds ranging between 40 to 50 kmph and occasionally touching 60 kmph during afternoon and evening hours.
The IMD has also indicated the possibility of another round of light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning later at night, keeping conditions unstable across the region.
In a significant update on national weather patterns, the IMD officially declared the onset of the southwest monsoon on Thursday. The monsoon entered Kerala, marking the beginning of India’s four-month rainy season. The weather system has already advanced into parts of the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and sections of the Bay of Bengal, signaling gradual progress across the country.
Typically, the monsoon reaches Kerala around June 1, but this year its arrival has slightly varied from the expected schedule. Earlier forecasts had predicted a May 26 onset with a margin of error of a few days.
As the monsoon strengthens, authorities continue to monitor weather conditions closely, urging residents in Delhi-NCR to remain cautious amid the possibility of more thunderstorms and gusty winds in the coming hours.
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