Severe dust storm hits Delhi, Noida; rain likely over weekend
What's the story
Residents of Delhi and its neighboring areas, including Noida, woke up to a severe dust storm on Friday morning. The sudden weather change came after a hot Thursday when the city recorded a high of 36.8°C. Social media visuals showed hazy skies and low visibility as strong winds carried dust across the region.
Twitter Post
Visuals from Delhi
#WATCH | Delhi: The national capital experiences a severe dust storm that has significantly reduced visibility across the city.
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2026
(Visuals from Shanti Path) pic.twitter.com/OCCgsJN4JN
Weather forecast
Rain expected to start late Friday night
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorms with rain late Friday night, likely continuing into Saturday. Lightning and short spells of intense rain are also expected in isolated places. Mahesh Palawat, vice-president at Skymet, told news agency PTI that Delhi is expected to receive a significant amount of rain on Friday and Saturday. He added that intermittent rain would continue till at least April 8-9 due to two western disturbances affecting the region.
Ongoing conditions
Dusty conditions, poor air quality
Dusty conditions are likely to continue intermittently during the day, especially in the afternoon and evening when wind speeds could increase further. Winds are expected to blow at 20-30km/h with gusts of up to 40km/h. This change in weather is also affecting air quality, with Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) rising to 218 on Friday morning, placing it in the poor category according to Central Pollution Control Board data.
Weather update
Maximum temperature to drop to 21°C
The maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to be around 33°C with a minimum of around 21°C. Humidity levels are likely to be between 80% and 45%. On Saturday, thunderstorms with rain are expected along with lightning and gusty winds during the afternoon and evening. Rainfall is also predicted on Sunday, April 5.