After waking up to a dust storm like conditions in the morning, rains accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, battered Delhi and its surrounding areas on Friday, bringing relief from the rising temperatures. IMD had predicted thunderstorms along with rains on Friday evening which are likely to continue on Saturday.
Delhi and some parts of the NCR also witnessed rainfall on Monday, March 30 and 31 evening, bringing relief to the citizens. IMD had forecast orange again owing to which light showers were witnessed by Friday evening. A dense layer of dust enveloped large parts of Delhi and NCR, significantly reducing visibility. IMD said the sudden change in weather is likely to persist through the day, with a generally cloudy sky and the possibility of light rain or drizzle.
Dust storm swept through Delhi-NCR early Friday, with residents waking up to a cloudy sky and hazy conditions. The shift came after a warm Thursday, with Delhi recording a maximum temperature of 36.8 degrees Celsius, 2.8 notches above normal. The minimum temperature hovered around 22 degrees Celsius, nearly 4 degrees above normal. Even as dust lingered in the air, residents were not complaining.
National Capital Region (NCR) faced a significant dust storm today, leading to hazy skies and a marked decline in visibility. This atmospheric shift is attributed to a powerful weather system known as a western disturbance, which originates from the Mediterranean region and moves eastwards towards northern India. Such disturbances often induce abrupt changes in weather, including strong winds and dust storms, particularly during seasonal transitions.
The recent interaction of this western disturbance with unusually warm surface temperatures over northern India has resulted in atmospheric instability. Consequently, winds purportedly reached speeds of 40 to 50 kilometres per hour across the Delhi-NCR area, stirring up considerable amounts of loose dust and creating the chaotic weather conditions observed today.
Experts in meteorology have noted that the dust enveloping Delhi is primarily not sourced locally. It has been transported over considerable distances by robust winds originating from arid regions. Key contributing sources include the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, as well as areas in Balochistan and central Pakistan. The high wind speeds enable the lifting of fine sand and dust particles into the atmosphere, allowing them to travel hundreds of kilometres.
Once the wind speeds diminish over the Delhi-NCR region, the airborne particles can remain suspended, contributing to the thick haze currently blanketing the skies. Additionally, a lack of rainfall in recent weeks has rendered the soil drier and more susceptible to erosion, further exacerbating the dust situation. The rise in temperatures preceding the summer season has intensified dust activity, compounding the current weather conditions.
Dust storms in Delhi are frequently of a short duration but are characterised by their intensity. The quick movement of these weather systems causes a rapid rise of warm air at ground level, which then attracts cooler air and moisture from upper layers of the atmosphere. This process explains the swift transition experienced by residents, as day-to-day weather can change dramatically from clear skies to ironically dusty winds within just hours.
Follow us
