Rain and hail arrived in the Delhi-NCR region, catching residents by surprise and providing instant respite from the sweltering conditions.
Dark clouds gathered rapidly, with rain and hail already reported in areas like the Delhi-Noida border, accompanied by gusty winds.
The IMD issued a yellow alert for Delhi, and an orange alert for Noida and Ghaziabad, with heavy rain and thunderstorms predicted in the evening.
The changing weather is believed to be the result of a classic meteorological interaction between dry westerly winds and moist easterlies, which has triggered strong convective activity and thunderstorm formation over the region, bringing rainy weather.
These systems are expanding in coverage and therefore, short bursts of heavy-intensity rainfall, thundershowers, and possible hailstorms could affect 20–30% of Delhi-NCR, 30–40% of Haryana, and up to 50% of districts in western UP.
Coverage remains uneven, meaning not every locality will experience the downpour equally. Radar images earlier showed intense activity building, with it expected to continue and potentially intensifying as the day goes on until around 7 PM.
Caution is urged due to the risk of localised waterlogging in low-lying spots and advised people to avoid open areas during lightning activity.
This fresh spell arrives after Delhi-NCR and surrounding regions endured a punishing stretch of above-normal temperatures in late April.
The capital had seen the temperatures climb close to 44°C in several pockets, with heatwave-like conditions prompting yellow alerts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Many days featured maximums in the low-to-mid 40s, making outdoor activities taxing and increasing power demand for cooling.
However, April 2026 has been unusual overall, marked by multiple spells of rain and western disturbances that kept average temperatures somewhat moderated compared to extreme projections earlier in the season.
A notable relief event occurred just yesterday on April 29, when showers and strong winds caused a sharp dip in temperatures across Delhi, bringing much-needed cooling after nearly a week of intense heat.
That previous downpour lowered readings significantly in several neighbourhoods and improved air quality temporarily.
Today's rain continues this pattern of intermittent relief amid an otherwise warming trend. While the immediate showers are welcome for farmers and parched landscapes, meteorologists caution that such convective setups can be patchy.
Longer-term forecasts suggest the possibility of more thundery activity in the coming days as weather systems remain active over northwest India.
The dual impact of cooling rains and gusty winds is expected to bring daytime temperatures down noticeably in affected areas, offering a temporary break before conditions potentially stabilise again.
Residents are advised to stay updated with local alerts as the situation evolves.
Source: India Today