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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed Delhi under a red alert on Friday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and powerful surface winds gusting up to 90 kmph across the national capital, as storms that tore through Thursday night continue to build and the weather office urges residents to take immediate precautions against conditions threatening life and property.
Delhi red alert June 12: what it means for residents
A red alert signifies "take action" and is issued when severe weather conditions are assessed as posing a direct threat to life and property, requiring residents and authorities to respond without delay.
For Friday, the IMD has forecast thunderstorms, lightning, and strong surface winds of 70 to 80 kmph, gusting up to 90 kmph, across the capital. Rainfall is expected at most locations, with moderate downpours at isolated spots. Dust-raising winds are also likely over several parts of the city.
IMD safety advisory: what Delhi residents must do now
With the red alert in force, the weather office has advised Delhiites to move to safe buildings, avoid weak structures, stay away from windows, refrain from taking shelter under trees, and avoid venturing near water bodies during the adverse weather conditions.
Thursday night: how the storms unfolded in Delhi
Dark clouds rolled in rapidly across the city on Thursday night as thunderstorms and rain swept through multiple areas. Gusty winds lashed several parts of Delhi, lightning lit up the sky, and rainfall was recorded across numerous locations, bringing a temporary reprieve from a punishing day.
The capital had recorded a maximum temperature of 38.7 degrees Celsius on Thursday, with the heat index, or "feels like" temperature, touching approximately 44 degrees Celsius owing to high humidity.
Two rain spells forecast through Friday
Friday's weather is expected to arrive in two distinct waves, each carrying storm and lightning activity in Delhi. Through the morning and forenoon, very light to light rain is anticipated alongside thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds of 40 to 50 kmph, with gusts reaching 60 kmph. A comparable second spell is forecast through the afternoon and evening, carrying equivalent wind intensity.
The IMD stated: “During morning - Very Light to Light Rainfall, Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning & gusty winds(40-50kmph), During forenoon - Very Light to Light Rainfall, Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning & gusty winds(40-50kmph).”
"During afternoon - Very Light to Light Rainfall, Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning & gusty winds(40-50kmph), During evening - Very Light to Light Rainfall, Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning & gusty winds(40-50kmph)," the IMD said.
Winds up to 100 kmph and hail possible across Delhi-NCR
Beyond the two forecast spells, the weather office has cautioned that more intense thunderstorm cells remain possible through the day, bringing winds of 70 to 90 kmph and peak gusts up to 100 kmph.
Hail is also on the cards, with the IMD having flagged hailstorm risk for Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh across June 11 and 12. The alert has been extended to cover several other parts of North India.
Cyclonic circulation over Pakistan: what is driving the storms
Weather experts have attributed the sharp deterioration in conditions to a cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan and adjoining areas, which has elevated atmospheric instability across northwest India, including the Delhi-NCR region.
The weather activity is expected to intensify from Friday as the system gains strength, increasing the likelihood of thunderstorms, rain, and strong winds across the region.
Western Disturbance: wet spell to continue through June 13
The broader pattern keeping conditions unsettled is an active Western Disturbance, under the influence of which northwest India is expected to remain in a sustained wet spell through June 13, the IMD said. Temperatures are projected to ease over the coming days as cloud cover and continued rainfall suppress the pre-monsoon heat gripping the region.
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