Dust storms lash Delhi, mercury dips
A FEW areas reported incidents of uprooting of trees that damaged power lines and vehicles. Delhi residents shared videos of rain water gushing into balconies and plumes of dust engulfing the streets on social media
New Delhi: Dust storms, heavy rains and hail at isolated places lashed the national capital and neighbouring areas on Thursday, affecting visibility. A few areas also reported incidents of uprooting of trees that damaged power lines and vehicles.
New Delhi, May 14: The skies turned dark grey and strong winds whipped up dust storms across the national capital and neighbouring areas on Thursday, affecting visibility.
This is the second spell of dust storms to hit Delhi and nearby areas in less than a week. Heavy rains and hail were also reported at isolated places, especially in North Delhi, weather experts said.
A few areas reported incidents of uprooting of trees that damaged power lines and vehicles. Delhi residents shared videos of rain water gushing into balconies and plumes of dust engulfing the streets on social media.
Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the regional forecasting centre of the IMD, said it was a result of a fresh western disturbance. Winds gusting up to 60 kilometers per hour barrelled through the national capital whipping up dust storms. A few areas witnessed hailstorm, Srivastava said.
Gusty winds and rains led to a significant drop in the mercury especially in North Delhi. The temperatures dropped by at least two notches elsewhere, he said.
The regional meteorological centre reported, "Duststorm/thunderstorm with rain/hail and gusty winds of the speed of 40-60 mph would occur over and adjoining areas of Karnal, Panipat, Gohana, Gannaur, Sonipat, Bagpat, Baraud, Shamli, Meerut and many places of Delhi and adjoining NCR (Gurugram,
Faridabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad) during next two hours.”
The IMD scientist said dust storms and hail storms are a common occurance in the period between April 15 and June 15 in entire northwest India. Cumulonimbus clouds due to western disturbance and induced cyclonic circulation over Punjab and Haryana led to dust storms and hail storms in parts of Delhi, Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather, a private forecasting service, said.
Northwest India hasn’t witnessed a heatwave so far — the reason being frequent western disturbances this year, he said.
According to the Met department, rain and thundershower were predicted North and northwest India between May 13 and 14. Last Sunday, dust storms raged across Delhi and Noida. The change in weather due to rain was seen all over the national capital.