IMD issues thunderstorm, high speed winds alert for Delhi-NCR till June 25; air quality remains poor
New Delhi, June 23
The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued a weather alert for Delhi-NCR, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds at isolated places until June 25, even as the national Capital continued to grapple with poor air quality.
The weather warning extends beyond Delhi and covers several states and Union Territories, including Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The IMD has also forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over Assam, Meghalaya, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim during the next two days. Heavy rainfall is likely over Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Coastal Karnataka, Madhya Maharashtra, Goa, Odisha, Telangana, Kerala, and several northeastern states on Tuesday.
In Delhi, temperatures remained relatively moderate for this time of the year. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 38.4 degrees Celsius on Monday, marginally below the seasonal average. According to the IMD, the maximum temperature at Safdarjung, the city's base weather station, was 0.5 degrees lower than the previous day.
For Tuesday, the weather department has predicted partly cloudy skies, with the minimum and maximum temperatures expected to hover around 25 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius, respectively.
June is typically among the hottest months in Delhi, with temperatures frequently crossing the 40-degree mark. Intense sunshine and hot, dry winds often make outdoor conditions challenging for residents. However, the forecast of thunderstorms and gusty winds is expected to provide some respite from the prevailing heat.
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon has regained momentum over Maharashtra after nearly a two-week lull. The IMD said the monsoon is likely to cover the entire state within the next few days, bringing much-needed relief from the sweltering conditions. Mumbai witnessed widespread showers since morning, with rainfall reported from areas including Matunga, Senapati Bapat Road, and several other localities.
Despite the changing weather pattern, Delhi's air quality remained in the "poor" category. Anand Vihar recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 246, while several other monitoring stations reported moderate to poor levels, including IIT Delhi (166), RK Puram (165), Rohini (163), Pusa (173), Patparganj (154), Sonia Vihar (157), and Wazirpur (185).
— IANS
Reader Comments
IMD ka alert is good, but why is air quality still poor even after rain predictions? We've been hearing about plantation drives but nothing changes. Also, glad to see monsoon finally covering Maharashtra - Mumbai desperately needed these showers.
Living in Delhi-NCR, I can tell you - these thunderstorms are chaotic but needed. One day it's 38°C, next day 40°C. Even 0.5°C below seasonal average feels like a blessing. But 25°C minimum temperature? Sounds pleasant for June! Let's hope the gusty winds don't cause too much damage.
Honestly, the air quality issue needs more attention. AQI of 246 in Anand Vihar is unacceptable even with weather changes. Why aren't we addressing construction dust and vehicle emissions? Thunderstorms won't solve everything. Also, good to see Northeast getting heavy rainfall - hope no floods happen there.
As someone who grew up in Delhi, I've seen June hottest days touch 45°C. 38-40°C is almost bearable now! But the humidity after rain makes it worse 😅. At least IMD is giving advance warning now - earlier we'd just get caught in sudden storms. Fingers crossed for good monsoon this year!
I'm visiting Delhi for work - people warned me about the heat but 38°C feels manageable after Texas summers. The thunderstorm alert is interesting though. We don't get such detailed
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