NCR gets emergency thunderstorm alert, mercury to rise soon

New Delhi: Residents across Delhi-NCR were startled on Thursday evening when cellphones sounded an emergency weather alert around 5pm, warning of a severe thunderstorm and wind speeds that could gust up to 90kmph.While the strongest winds ultimately fell short of the forecast, reaching a peak of 70kmph at Palam, 59kmph at Pragati Maidan and 54kmph in Pusa, the storm brought rain across parts of the region, keeping the respite from heat on. This also improved the air quality, which turned satisfactory after 21 days.While a combination of weather effects, including an active western disturbance and confluence of warm and cooler winds, did continue to give the city a breather from heatwaves for the second consecutive day, Met officials say the temperatures are to rise soon.On Saturday, the city saw a slightly warm afternoon followed by a dust storm, overcast sky and light-to-moderate rain towards later afternoon to evening, bringing a quick respite. Till 5.30pm, base station Safdarjung logged a rainfall of 0.9mm, Rajghat 20.5mm, Lodhi Road 3.8mm, Ridge 0.4mm, and Ayanagar 0.2mm, respectively. Weather scientists say the impact of western disturbance is dropping.The maximum temperature at Safdarjung saw a slight rise at 37.2 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, against 36.8 degrees a day earlier. Met expects 36-38 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 37-39 on Monday and 38-40 on Tuesday.“The western disturbance is still active, but its impact will drop and the temperatures will eventually rise, but no heatwaves are expected over next seven days. On Saturday, the peak winds that gusted were northwesterly, which were warmer, while the overall winds were cool and moist southeasterly,” said a scientist from India Meteorological Department (IMD). “It's because of the western disturbance, and interaction of dry mid-level northwesterly winds with low-level moist southwesterly wind that led to strong thunderstorm activity, resulting in gusty winds and rain, not just in Delhi but across northwest India.”Meanwhile, May saw a mixed spectrum of weather activity with the average maximum temperature of 39.6 degrees Celsius. While a streak of western disturbances kept the first half of May cool, another streak of heatwave kept the second half warm. The month logged 17.6mm rainfall against 185.8mm in May 2025.Technically only one heatwave day was logged at Safdarjung, however, a streak lasting over five days and other isolated days kept the city sweating. Delhi has seen two spells of heatwave this summer. Parts of the city reeled under three consecutive heatwave days from April 23 to 25. Safdarjung saw one heatwave day on April 25 when the mercury climbed to 42.8. Some areas recorded a four-day heatwave from May 18 to 21. Safdarjung, though, recorded just one such day on May 19 when the mercury touched 45.1 degrees Celsius.The air quality index, on a scale of 0 to 500, on Saturday was 85 or satisfactory against 123 or moderate a day earlier. On May 8, AQI was satisfactory at 100.