Delhi braces for heavy rain, thunderstorms as IMD issues orange alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Delhi on Friday (May 30), warning of rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds reaching speeds of up to 70 km per hour.

The weather department had earlier issued a yellow alert which was upgraded to an orange alert, prompting IMD to urge residents to remain cautious and stay prepared for potentially disruptive weather.

An orange alert, the second-highest warning level in IMD’s colour-coded weather warning system, indicates that the weather could cause damage or disruption.

Also Read: Rain havoc from north to south: Monsoon batters Kerala, flight ops hit in Delhi

Record rainfall

Delhi has already received heavy rainfall this month — recording 186.4 mm of rain — the highest ever for May. The previous record was 165 mm, set in 2008. The average rainfall for the month is just 30.7 mm, making this year’s numbers particularly exceptional.

On Sunday (May 25), heavy rain and thunderstorms wreaked havoc across the city, leading to flight delays, waterlogging, power outages, and uprooted trees, causing severe inconvenience to commuters.

Also Read: Heavy rains wreak havoc in Kerala, Karnataka; Mumbai too severely affected

No alerts for Noida

While Delhi is under an orange alert, no such warnings have been issued for nearby cities like Gurgaon and Faridabad. According to the IMD forecast, Ghaziabad and Noida may experience light rain and thunderstorms on Friday but are not under any colour-coded alert.

No warning was in place for Thursday (May 29) morning, though light to moderate rain was still expected. “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,” said an IMD official.

Monsoon arrives early

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon is progressing faster than its usual pace this year. While it typically reaches Delhi around June 27, the IMD has not yet announced an expected date for its onset in the capital.

However, the monsoon has already reached Kerala on May 24, a week ahead of its normal date of June 1. The monsoon also hit Mumbai on May 26, well before the usual onset date of June 11.

“We are closely monitoring the progress,” an IMD official told the media, noting that the department is yet to determine when the monsoon will hit Delhi.

Also Read: 49 flights disrupted, roads flooded, trees uprooted as massive storm lashes Delhi

Storm toll

This month, five major storms have struck Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), causing at least 12 fatalities.

Victims died due to house collapses, electrocution, and falling trees — raising concerns over the city’s preparedness for the monsoon season.