Delhi-NCR Weather: IMD Issues Yellow Alert, Forecasts More Showers & Thunderstorms

New Delhi: After a day of intense monsoon showers that triggered widespread waterlogging and traffic snarls across the National Capital Region, Delhi woke up to relatively lighter rainfall on Friday.

While the heavy downpour eased, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the break is likely to be temporary, issuing a Yellow Alert for the national capital and forecasting more rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds through the day.

According to the IMD, monsoon conditions remain active over north India, with light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and wind speeds of 30-40 kmph, gusting up to 50 kmph, expected in several parts of Delhi-NCR.

Thursday's heavy rainfall brought much-needed relief from the sweltering heat and humidity, with temperatures dropping significantly below normal levels. However, the downpour also disrupted normal life, inundating roads, slowing traffic and affecting daily commuters across Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad.

The IMD has indicated that the wet spell is likely to persist over the coming days, with intermittent showers and thunderstorms expected across the NCR.

The weather office has forecast fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over West Uttar Pradesh on July 10 and 11 and over East Uttar Pradesh from July 10 to 13. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over both regions on Friday, with moderate to intense lightning activity also expected over East Uttar Pradesh.

According to the IMD, the prevailing weather conditions are being influenced by a low-pressure area over the northern parts of central Uttar Pradesh. The associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 5.8 km above mean sea level and is likely to weaken gradually over the next 24 hours, while the monsoon trough passing through the system is supporting rainfall activity across the state.

The IMD said rainfall activity is expected to continue over the coming days, with isolated heavy rainfall likely over West Uttar Pradesh on July 11 and East Uttar Pradesh between July 10 and 13. Moderate to intense lightning activity has also been forecast over East Uttar Pradesh on July 12.

Maximum temperatures are expected to remain around 32-34 degrees Celsius, while cloudy skies are likely to dominate through the weekend, offering continued relief from the recent heatwave-like conditions.

Meanwhile, despite widespread speculation on social media, no official holiday has been announced for schools, colleges or offices in Delhi-NCR. Authorities have advised students, parents and employees to follow updates issued by their respective institutions and local administrations instead of relying on unverified reports.

The weather department has urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel during periods of heavy rain, remain alert for possible waterlogging in low-lying areas, and monitor official weather advisories as monsoon activity is expected to remain active across the region in the coming days. 

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