A powerful dust storm followed by intense showers and hail lashed Delhi on Wednesday evening, severely impacting flight operations and ground traffic across the city. The sudden weather shift brought travel disruptions, emergency landings, and a dramatic dip in temperatures.
Between 7:45 pm and 8:45 pm, at least 10 flights were diverted — most to Jaipur and one to Mumbai — while over 50 others were delayed at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, according to officials familiar with the situation. The chaos was triggered by wind shear, a weather phenomenon involving opposing wind directions that can make both take-offs and landings hazardous.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported a peak wind speed of 74 km/h around 8 pm. The temperature in Palam saw a dramatic drop — from 37°C at 7:30 pm to just 23°C an hour later.
In a separate incident on the same day, a Delhi-Srinagar flight encountered severe turbulence, prompting an emergency landing at Srinagar airport around 6:30 pm. Shocking visuals of the aircraft’s damaged nose cone, reportedly caused by hail impact, surfaced online. Over 220 passengers were onboard at the time.
In response to the disruptions, Air India issued a travel advisory on X (formerly Twitter), urging passengers to check their flight status and allot extra time for airport travel. IndiGo also cited thunderstorms in Delhi, Chandigarh, and Kolkata as causes for flight delays, advising fliers to stay updated on schedules.
Weather Forecast and Meteorological Insights
The IMD had earlier predicted a hot and humid day with the possibility of dust storms and thunderstorms later in the evening. Winds were initially expected to touch 50 km/h. However, the intensity of the actual weather event surpassed forecasts.
IMD scientist Krishna Mishra explained the cause of the sudden storm: a cyclonic circulation over Haryana embedded in an east-west trough extending from Punjab to Bangladesh at lower tropospheric levels. Moisture from both the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal fueled the storm, he said.
Rainfall recorded till 8:30 pm included:
- 12.1mm at Safdarjung
- 2.1mm at Palam
- 13.5mm at Mayur Vihar
- 5mm at Pitampura
Trees Uprooted, Traffic Disrupted
The storm also uprooted several trees, leading to road blockages and heavy traffic congestion. A senior traffic police officer confirmed that vehicular movement was severely affected on Mathura Road, especially the stretch from Neela Gumbad to Ashram, after a tree collapsed onto the carriageway. Another tree fell on Teen Murti Marg, but no injuries were reported.
Authorities have warned of a similar storm on Friday, with gusty winds expected to touch 50 km/h. However, Thursday is expected to remain free of such weather disturbances.
Sources By Agencies