After heavy rains and thunderstorm, Delhi sky turns light dark
Thunderclouds rolled over the capital, bringing with them bursts of thunder, flashes of lightning and spells of light to moderate rain across several areas. Strong winds swept through the city as temperatures dropped sharply, reintroducing winter-like cold that many believed was already behind them.
New Delhi: The national capital woke up to an unusually dark and gloomy day as dense cloud cover, fog and intermittent rain plunged the national capital into near-winter conditions. With sunlight missing through most of the day, the city felt colder than usual, creating an eerie atmosphere across the region.
Fog erases skyline
The skylines of Noida and Gurugram, normally dominated by high-rise buildings, disappeared behind thick fog and low clouds. Visibility dropped sharply, leaving the city wrapped in a grey haze that blurred roads, buildings and open spaces.
Adding to the unease were rumbling thunderstorms echoing across parts of the capital. Several areas recorded light to moderate rainfall accompanied by lightning and strong winds. The sudden spell of rain led to a noticeable dip in temperatures, reviving winter-like chills that many thought had already passed.
Roads across Delhi appeared unusually quiet as the gloomy weather kept people indoors. The overcast conditions are expected to persist for the time being.
IMD warning, AQI relief
The India Meteorological Department said the abrupt change in weather was caused by a western disturbance. The weather agency has issued warnings for rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds across Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh and north Rajasthan. The alert level has been reduced from orange to yellow.
The rain has also brought some relief from air pollution. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer app, Delhi’s air quality index stood at 293 in the poor category, improving from 313 recorded on Thursday evening. Among monitoring stations, 23 reported very poor air quality, 15 recorded poor levels and one station showed moderate air quality.
Fresh snowfall delights hills
Meanwhile, higher reaches of north India witnessed fresh snowfall. The popular ski destination of Gulmarg and several other areas in the Kashmir Valley received new snow, while strong winds swept through Srinagar and surrounding plains.
Himachal Pradesh’s Manali also saw fresh snowfall, blanketing the hill town in white. The snowfall has lifted spirits in the region, especially among tourists and local residents who welcomed the winter revival.