Massive dust storm sweeps parts of Delhi-NCR, heavy downpour affects flight operations
PTC News Desk: The weather in Delhi-NCR shifted dramatically on Sunday evening, offering a welcome break from the intense summer heat. Dark clouds gathered as powerful gusts swept through the region, bringing dust storms and heavy rainfall. The downpour significantly cooled the surroundings, leading to a notable dip in temperatures.
Videos from across the area captured the fierce winds and thick dust clouds that reduced visibility and sent people scrambling for cover. This abrupt change brought much-needed relief from the scorching conditions.
As per official data, wind speeds hit 67 kmph at Safdarjung, while Palam (IGI Airport) initially recorded winds at 65 kmph. However, at 4:30 pm, a squall at Palam intensified, reaching a peak of 96 kmph — the highest in recent memory — potentially disrupting several flights. Later, at 5:05 pm, another strong squall struck Safdarjung with gusts reaching 80 kmph. Previously, the highest wind gusts were noted at Pragati Maidan, where speeds hit 76 kmph.
The abrupt shift in weather came in line with earlier predictions by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which had anticipated light rain and thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds ranging between 50-70 kmph across various parts of Delhi-NCR during the last three days of May.
The IMD had also projected overcast skies with thunder and lightning for Saturday and Sunday in the region, along with dust storms driven by winds of 40-50 kmph, followed by showers.
- With inputs from agencies
