Subhechcha Ganguly 
A powerful thunderstorm swept across Delhi-NCR in the early hours of Sunday, unleashing gusty winds, heavy rainfall, and widespread disruption across the region. The storm triggered severe waterlogging, uprooted trees, and led to significant power outages, paralyzing life in many areas of the capital.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), wind speeds ranged between 60 and 100 km/h, with Safdarjung recording peak gusts of 82 km/h and Palam 72 km/h. The intense weather system also caused a sharp temperature plunge, with readings at Safdarjung dropping from 31°C to 21°C within an hour and a half.
Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport were severely impacted. Over 200 flights were delayed, while 49 flights, including 17 international ones, were diverted to other airports between 11:30 pm and 4:00 am, officials confirmed. Real-time aviation trackers like FlightRadar24 showed average delays of 45 minutes due to dangerous conditions created by lightning and high winds.
This latest weather event delivered 81.2 mm of rainfall by 5:30 am, pushing Delhi’s total May rainfall to 186.2 mm — the wettest May on record, surpassing the previous 165 mm recorded in May 2008.
The IMD had issued an orange alert at 9:30 pm Saturday, followed by a red alert at 10:30 pm, warning of a severe thunderstorm, lightning, hail, and strong squally winds. The advisory urged residents to stay indoors, avoid sheltering under trees, and keep emergency supplies ready.
The storm initially impacted parts of Punjab and Haryana before sweeping into Delhi between 12:30 am and 2:30 am. Rain persisted in several areas into the early morning hours.
May’s Trail of Destruction
This turbulent May has seen an unusual succession of powerful storms. At least 12 people have lost their lives this month in weather-related incidents, including house collapses and electrocutions. On May 2, Delhi recorded 77 mm of rainfall — then the second-highest for May — leading to at least five deaths. On May 17, another round of gusty winds and heavy rain claimed four more lives due to structural collapses in central and northern Delhi.
As climate patterns grow increasingly unpredictable, Delhiites are bracing for more extreme weather in the days ahead. Authorities continue to monitor conditions closely and urge residents to follow safety protocols during severe weather events.
