The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued fresh yellow and orange alerts for Delhi, warning of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 70 km per hour from Wednesday through Friday. The latest forecast marks a significant escalation in weather conditions, prompting concern over the city’s preparedness as it reels from an already record-breaking wet May.
There was no colour-coded alert for Wednesday until the afternoon, when the IMD issued a yellow warning. The alert for Friday was later upgraded from yellow to orange, signalling more intense and potentially disruptive weather. “There are chances of some very light to light rain now. On Thursday, similar rain activity is expected, with the intensity even higher on Friday,” an IMD official said.
Gusty winds of up to 50 km/hr were forecast for Wednesday, increasing to 60 km/hr on Thursday and potentially hitting 70 km/hr by Friday. The IMD’s colour-coded system designates yellow as an advisory for moderate weather, while orange denotes a warning for more severe conditions, advising authorities to remain alert.
The upcoming stormy spell comes on the heels of a turbulent May that has already witnessed five major storms in the National Capital Region (NCR), resulting in at least 12 fatalities from house collapses, electrocution, and uprooted trees. Sunday’s thunderstorm – accompanied by three hours of intense rainfall – disrupted flight operations and exposed glaring gaps in the city’s drainage and infrastructure systems, leading to widespread waterlogging and power outages.
Delhi has so far received 186.4 mm of rain this month – the highest recorded for May in the city’s history – surpassing the previous record of 165 mm set in 2008. For context, the long-period average (LPA) rainfall for May in Delhi is only 30.7 mm. With more rain on the cards, the total for the month could exceed 200 mm, highlighting this year’s pre-monsoon activity’s not-so-typical intensity.
The broader seasonal forecast from IMD also indicates an early and robust onset of the southwest monsoon. After reaching Kerala on May 24, nearly a week ahead of its usual schedule, the monsoon advanced to Mumbai by May 26, significantly ahead of its normal onset date of June 11.
Delhi, along with Chandigarh and Haryana, is expected to receive above-normal monsoon rainfall this year. The IMD outlook puts rainfall in the area at 114% of the LPA, while the normal for the monsoon season is put at 431 mm. India as a whole is expected to get 106% of LPA rainfall in June-September, which is categorised under ‘above normal’.
While the initial monsoon and widespread rain are good for crops and water pools, the increasingly ferocious weather also increases the chances of flooding in urban areas, infrastructural strain, and public safety issues. The authorities have been called upon to increase contingency efforts as Delhi prepares for round two of tempestuous weather.