Delhi Afternoon Turns Dark and Gloomy with Sudden Rain and Thunder

Delhi experienced an unusual midday transformation on Friday as bright noon skies gave way to near-darkness, resembling a cold, overcast winter evening. Thick clouds, heavy fog, and persistent light to moderate rain blanketed the city, accompanied by frequent lightning, rumbling thunder, and gusty winds. Visibility dropped sharply, erasing the usual skyline views of Noida and Gurugram behind a grey, blurry haze.

The dramatic weather shift, driven by an active western disturbance, brought a sudden plunge in temperatures, reviving winter chills across the capital. Roads appeared unusually deserted amid the gloomy atmosphere, while thunderstorms continued to signal more unsettled conditions ahead. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed Delhi, along with Punjab, Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh, North Rajasthan, Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh, under a yellow alert for rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds.

Air quality showed slight improvement due to the showers, with Delhi’s AQI reading 293 (“poor”) on the Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer app—down from 313 the previous afternoon. While still unhealthy, the rain helped wash away some pollutants, though several monitoring stations remained in the “very poor” range.

Also Read: India Namibia Sign Election Management MoU at Delhi Conference

The same weather system triggered fresh snowfall in higher reaches of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Gulmarg ski resort and parts of the Kashmir Valley received moderate to heavy snow, while high-speed winds swept Srinagar plains. In Himachal, Manali was covered in a fresh white blanket, delighting locals and tourists alike.

The IMD forecasts continued unsettled weather through the day, with spells of rain and thunderstorms likely to persist in the Delhi-NCR region before conditions gradually stabilize.

Also Read: Noida Car Crash Kills Delhi Woman, Two Injured in Early Morning Accident