Delhi NCR weather update: Sudden gusty winds, light rain bring relief from rising heat, IMD issues alert till March 21

A sudden spell of gusty winds, light rain, and dust swept across Delhi-NCR on Wednesday, offering much-needed respite from the rising temperatures that had gripped the region over the past few days.

The national capital remained under overcast skies for most of the day, with strong winds kicking up dust in several areas before light showers followed. The noticeable weather shift brought down temperatures and provided relief to residents who had been experiencing early summer-like conditions.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this change marks the beginning of a short wet spell in the region. Rainfall activity is expected to continue over the next three days, from March 19 to March 21, which is likely to further ease heat levels and improve air quality across Delhi-NCR.


On March 21, skies are expected to remain generally cloudy, with light rain likely to persist. Weather conditions are expected to stabilise from March 22 onwards, with partly cloudy to clear skies returning to the region.

The IMD has indicated that there will be no significant rise in maximum or minimum temperatures over the coming week, suggesting that the current relief from heat is likely to continue. The expected rainfall is also anticipated to play a role in keeping temperatures moderate.

Meanwhile, similar weather activity is being observed across several parts of the country. The IMD has forecast rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds in multiple regions over the coming days, with activity set to intensify from Wednesday.

In the northeastern states, fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning is expected to continue. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya in the initial phase of the forecast period.

The western Himalayan region is also likely to witness active weather conditions. Himachal Pradesh may receive heavy rainfall on March 19 and 20, while Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir are expected to see heavy showers on March 20. Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds are likely to persist across these areas and adjoining plains of northwest India till March 20.

The IMD has also warned of possible hailstorm activity in parts of north India. Himachal Pradesh may witness hailstorms on March 18 and 19, while Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan could experience similar conditions on March 19 and 20.

Amid these developments, there has already been a slight improvement in Delhi’s air quality. Several monitoring stations reported moderate Air Quality Index (AQI) levels, including Anand Vihar (262), Ashok Vihar (230), Bawana (230), CRRI Mathura Road (188), Delhi Cantonment (177), DTU (181), IGI Airport (T3) (180), IIT Delhi (177), JNU (170), Nehru Nagar (206), Pusa (220), R K Puram (227), Rohini (239), Shadipur (287), and Sonia Vihar (235).

Authorities expect the ongoing spell of rain and winds to further improve air quality in the coming days.