Delhi-NCR Wakes to Heavy Monsoon Showers
Delhi and its surrounding National Capital Region (NCR) experienced significant rainfall on Thursday, bringing a welcome respite from the prevailing humid conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) promptly issued an orange alert for the capital, forecasting moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms throughout the day.
The city recorded a minimum temperature of 26.6 degrees Celsius, which is 1.3 degrees below the seasonal average. Forecasters anticipate the maximum temperature will hover around 32 degrees Celsius. Despite the downpour, Delhi's air quality remained in the satisfactory category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 84 reported at 9 AM, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Widespread Rain and Thunderstorm Warnings Across India
The IMD has predicted extensive rainfall and thunderstorms across various parts of the country for Thursday, with some regions bracing for heavy to very heavy precipitation. States including Gangetic West Bengal, Kerala and Mahe, Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Odisha, and Uttarakhand are particularly vulnerable to isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall.
Additional heavy rainfall warnings have been issued for specific areas within Delhi, Haryana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the northeastern states, among others.
Gusty Winds and Rough Sea Conditions Expected
Beyond the rain, the weather office has also cautioned about thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds. Wind speeds of 40-50 kmph are likely in isolated areas of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Mahe, Lakshadweep, South Interior Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal.
Other regions, including Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh, could experience thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds ranging from 30-40 kmph. Lightning activity is also forecast over parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, northeastern states, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand.
Furthermore, strong winds are expected over sections of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Squally winds reaching 45-55 kmph, with gusts up to 65 kmph, are anticipated over parts of the Arabian Sea, particularly near the Somalia and Oman coasts, as well as along the Karnataka and Kerala coasts and Lakshadweep. In the Bay of Bengal, strong winds are predicted over the south Sri Lanka coast and parts of the south Bay, while the Andaman Sea may see winds of 35-45 kmph with gusts up to 55 kmph.