Severe weather puts Delhi on 'red alert', flights disrupted
What's the story
Delhi and its neighboring regions woke up to a rainy Tuesday morning, triggering weather alerts and flight disruptions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a two-tier warning system for the city with a red alert for North Delhi, Northwest Delhi, Central Delhi, Northeast Delhi, West Delhi, and Southwest Delhi. The warning indicated the need for immediate precaution due to moderate rain with thunderstorms, lightning, and hail.
Weather warnings
Orange alert issued for other districts
The IMD also issued an orange alert for South East Delhi, South Delhi, New Delhi, Shahdara, and East Delhi. This indicated a slightly lower but still significant risk of moderate rain and thunderstorms. The weather alerts were valid till 1:30pm on Tuesday, with residents and commuters advised to exercise caution during this period.
Flight operations
Airlines issue advisories amid weather disruptions
The adverse weather conditions also impacted flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Leading airlines such as Akasa Air, IndiGo, and SpiceJet issued advisories for passengers traveling through the airport. The airlines advised travelers to take necessary precautions and warned that flight operations could be affected due to the disturbed conditions across Delhi-NCR.
Pollution relief
Rainfall expected to improve Delhi's air quality
The IMD's forecast for the broader NCR included "partly cloudy skies with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers" in adjoining areas such as Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad. The rainfall is expected to improve Delhi's air quality, which had slipped back into the 'very poor' category with an AQI reading of 310 on Tuesday morning. Meteorologists hope that the current rainfall will help settle particulate matter and provide temporary respiratory relief.
Regional impact
Unsettled weather pattern extends beyond Delhi
The unsettled weather pattern was not limited to Delhi alone. The IMD also issued yellow and orange alerts for several districts in Punjab, Haryana, and the Chandigarh region on Tuesday. These alerts warned of thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds, and hail. Reports indicated that rain had been occurring in several parts of both states since early morning hours.