Dark clouds covered the skies over key areas such as Connaught Place, signaling a shift in weather conditions after several days of scorching heat. Earlier in the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a yellow alert for the city, forecasting light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms.
According to the IMD’s nowcast warning, all districts of Delhi were likely to witness light rain and thunderstorm activity by Friday evening. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 24°C — the highest so far this season — while the maximum temperature was expected to reach around 39°C.
The weather department also predicted isolated light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds across parts of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan.
Meteorologists attributed the sudden change in weather to an induced cyclonic circulation over western Rajasthan and adjoining areas of Pakistan. This system has led to increased cloud cover and hazy conditions across Delhi-NCR.
Experts further explained that dust particles from these regions have traveled towards the capital, contributing to a layer of dust haze and a decline in air quality. Thunderstorm activity reported in nearby areas such as Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, and Bikaner in Rajasthan on Thursday has also influenced Delhi’s weather patterns.
Despite the brief respite, weather experts caution that temperatures are likely to rise again over the next few days. According to meteorologist Mahesh Palawat from Skymet, temperatures across Delhi-NCR and northwest India could climb to 41–42°C, potentially leading to isolated heatwave conditions.
