A day of extremes played out in Delhi on Thursday, as searing heat gave way to a sudden downpour and gusty winds that sent temperatures tumbling within minutes. For the second day in a row, the city logged a “warm night” even as heatwave conditions gripped some pockets. But by evening, a brief yet intense thunderstorm swept through parts of the Capital, bringing immediate relief.
The downpour, driven by strong winds of up to 50 kmph, slashed temperatures by 6-10 degrees Celsius in under an hour, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.
At Lodhi Road, the temperature fell from 36°C to 30°C between 5:30 and 6:30 pm, while Mayur Vihar saw a sharper drop in the same period — from 37°C to 27°C.
Relief is likely to last through the weekend, according to IMD. Parts of Delhi could see drizzles on Friday and Saturday, with surface winds of up to 40 kmph forecast across the city.
On Thursday, Delhi’s maximum temperature stood at 39.6°C — five degrees above normal — down from 40.5°C a day earlier. Heatwave conditions were met at Ayanagar (40.2°C) and Ridge (40.9°C), though not at Safdarjung, the city’s base weather station. The minimum at Safdarjung was 25.9°C — 0.3°C higher than Wednesday — marking the Capital’s second consecutive “warm night” and its highest April minimum in three years. It was last higher on April 14, 2022, when it touched 26.2°C.
Under IMD norms, a “warm night” is declared when the maximum temperature exceeds 40°C, and the minimum is at least 4.5°C above normal. A heatwave is declared if the maximum exceeds 40°C with a similar departure, or crosses 45°C outright. A “severe heatwave” requires a departure of over 6.5°C above normal, in addition to the maximum remaining above 40°C.
Delhi recorded its first heatwave of the season on Monday, when temperatures crossed 40°C.
“The first half of the day had clear skies, which made it a fairly warm afternoon. However, the combination of moisture intrusion through the approaching western disturbance and high temperature led to the formation of clouds and subsequent rain in parts of the city. We also had winds up to 50 km/hr, which led to a sharp drop in temperature,” said Krishna Mishra, scientist at IMD.
While no rain was reported in the city till 5.30pm, IMD said 1mm was recorded at Pitampura and 5mm at Mayur Vihar between 5.30pm and 8.30pm.
Friday is expected to bring cloudy skies and a slight dip in temperatures, with the maximum forecast to stay between 36°C and 38°C. The minimum is likely to hover between 23°C and 25°C. Surface winds may reach 30-40 kmph, and scattered showers are possible. On Saturday, the wind speed may ease, but isolated drizzle is still likely.
Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category on Thursday, with dust storms briefly observed before the evening rain. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 256 at 4 pm, with PM10 as the lead pollutant. On Wednesday, the AQI was 246. The Centre’s Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi has forecast “moderate” air quality over the next three days, helped by the evening showers.
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