New Delhi: Heavy rainfall lashed the capital city and adjoining areas on Tuesday. The rain brought much needed respite from the hot and sultry weather but also led to traffic jams in many parts of NCR. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has now issued an ‘orange alert’ for the national capital, upgrading it from ‘yellow alert’.
The weather agency said that moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching up to 40 kmph will lash the city on Tuesday. As per the IMD’s colour-coding system, an ‘orange alert’ means “be prepared” mode. The downpour in the city happened less than a week after the southwest monsoon withdrew on September 24, a day earlier than normal. In 2024, the monsoon withdrawal took place on October 2.
Delhi NCR weather forecast for this week
As per the IMD, Delhi is likely to witness ‘generally cloudy sky with light rain or drizzle’ on Wednesday (Ram Navami) as well. The minimum temperature is likely to hover around 23 degrees Celsius while the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 34 degrees Celsius.
On Dussehra as well, which is falling on Thursday, the city is expected to witness ‘generally cloudy sky with light rain or drizzle’. The minimum temperature is likely to hover around 25 degrees Celsius while the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 34 degrees Celsius, predicted the IMD.
Check this week’s weather forecast
(Source: IMD)
Airlines issue alerts
Several airlines like IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet shared advisories for passengers after heavy rainfall caused disruptions in flight services in the area. IndiGo warned travellers that flights may get delayed because of continuous rain and thunderstorms in Delhi. It asked people flying today to check their flight status on the IndiGo app or website before going to the airport.
In its message, the airline said heavy rain and storms are affecting Delhi, which could slow down flight operations. It added that staff members are watching the situation closely so that flights can start again once the weather improves. IndiGo also suggested passengers leave early because the rain could slow down road travel.
Air India said rainfall might disturb its flights on Tuesday. In a post on X, the airline wrote that bad weather could impact flights to and from Delhi today. It advised passengers to check their flight status on its website before leaving and to keep extra time in hand as traffic may move slowly.
SpiceJet also issued a notice saying that bad weather in Delhi could affect all arrivals, departures and linked flights. It told passengers to monitor their flight updates on the SpiceJet website.