‘Red alert’ in Delhi: 92 kmph winds hit city, brace for thunderstorm

4 min readNew DelhiJun 15, 2026 04:37 PM IST

The IMD has forecast a fall of 2-3 degrees Celsius in maximum temperatures on Monday owing to cloud cover and thunderstorm activity.(PTI Photo)

Blue streaks and bright patches pulsed and rapidly spread across the official Palam Doppler weather radar on Monday afternoon.

This could only mean one thing: A signal for intensifying thunderstorm cells gathering strength as they raced towards the national capital from the west through the Delhi-Haryana corridor.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) placed the entire NCR under a ‘Red Alert’. By 2.30 pm, Palam had recorded a wind gust of 50 knots — nearly 92 kmph.

Senior IMD scientist Krishna Mishra said a severe squall was reported over Palam, which lasted from 2.28 pm to 2.30 pm.

A squall is a sudden increase of wind speed by at least three stages on the Beaufort scale, with the speed rising to at least 44.4 kmph or more, and lasting for at least one minute, as per the official IMD definitions.

So far, rainfall of 2.3 mm has been detected.

Slew of alerts

The IMD’s latest warning, valid till 5.45 pm, has cautioned that dust storms followed by thunderstorms accompanied by light to moderate rainfall and lightning were very likely across the entire Delhi-NCR.

An ‘Orange Alert’ from earlier in the day had been upgraded to a ‘Red Alert’ as weather conditions intensified rapidly over northwest India.

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Radar imagery from Palam showed scattered but intense convective thunderstorm cells over parts of Haryana and adjoining areas west and southwest of Delhi. Unlike widespread rain-bearing systems, these storms were highly localised yet powerful.

The radar signatures indicated significant vertical development within the clouds, which is a hallmark of severe thunderstorms capable of producing sudden wind squalls, dust storms and intense bursts of rain, experts said.

Areas adjoining Delhi have also been placed under alert.

The IMD has warned that thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds were likely over several locations including Sonipat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Rewari, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Baghpat and Khekra over the next few hours.

What caused it?

A combination of weather systems currently affecting Northwest India has created favourable conditions for the development of severe thunderstorms.

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According to the IMD’s afternoon weather bulletin, the seasonal trough (low pressure area) at mean sea level extends from Punjab to Bihar through Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

An upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over south Punjab and neighbourhood, while another persists over southeast Pakistan and adjoining southwest Rajasthan.

A western disturbance is also active over north Pakistan and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir.

Together, these systems can cause atmospheric instability across the region, creating conditions conducive to thunderstorm development and strong wind activity.

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The week’s forecast

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 38.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, about 1.4 degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 28.2 degrees Celsius.

The IMD has forecast a fall of 2-3 degrees Celsius in maximum temperatures on Monday owing to cloud cover and thunderstorm activity.

However, the relief is expected to be short-lived. The weather office has forecast a gradual rise in daytime temperatures by 2-4 degrees Celsius after Monday, while minimum temperatures may increase by 3-5 degrees Celsius over the next week.

Maximum temperatures, expected to remain in the 36-38 degrees Celsius range immediately after the storm activity, could climb back to around 40-42 degrees Celsius later this week.

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For Tuesday, the IMD has forecast a partly cloudy sky with a spell of very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds of 40-50 kmph gusting up to 60 kmph during the afternoon or evening. Another western disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from June 18, which could cause rainfall.

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Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai.

Professional Background

Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education.

Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education.

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Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses:

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"Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR.

"Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter.

2. Enforcement & Regulations

"No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy.

3. Education Policy

"Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025.

"Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation.

Signature Style

Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws.

X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read More

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Tags:

Indian Meteorological Department

Red Alert

thunderstorm