The suffocating heat is finally breaking. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Delhi starting Tuesday, forecasting much-needed light rain and gusty winds to cut through the oppressive humidity.
On Monday, the capital’s heat index pushed past an agonizing 50°C. Maximum temperatures spiked to 43.4°C in the Ridge area, while Palam and Lodhi Road baked at 42.4°C and 42.1°C, respectively. Even the minimum temperature hovered at a sweltering 31.1°C, keeping the city trapped in an oven-like grip.
A sudden dust storm swept through the city on Monday evening between 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM. Wind speeds peaked at 52 km/h in Palam, bringing a brief drop in temperature of three to nine degrees in isolated pockets. But it offered no lasting relief, leaving the air heavy and humid heading into the night.
The incoming pre-monsoon showers and localized wind activities are expected to change that entirely. The IMD is tracking wind speeds that could potentially reach up to 90 km/h during incoming thunderstorms across the region. This relentless June heatwave had already shattered a two-year record for the capital, making this weather shift a critical public health relief.
These localized storms are just a precursor to the primary Southwest Monsoon. Forecasters project the actual monsoon will officially arrive in the Delhi-NCR region by the first week of July.