Unseasonal storms hit northern India, 111 dead in Uttar Pradesh
Northern India just got hit by some intense, unseasonal storms, especially in Uttar Pradesh, where around 111 people sadly lost their lives.
Delhi-NCR also faced major disruptions.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), it all happened because moist easterly winds in the lower levels of the atmosphere crashed into dry westerlies high up in the atmosphere.
Early Friday, May 15, 2026, Delhi's winds hit 68km per hour—even without much rain—while some western districts of Uttar Pradesh saw gusts up to 70km per hour.
May storms typical across northwest India
Meteorologists say this kind of stormy chaos is actually pretty typical for northwest India in May when hot ground air mixes with moisture-laden winds: think thunderstorms, squalls, and lightning.
For context: Delhi usually gets about 3.6 squall days and 5.9 thunderstorm days every May.
Looking ahead, the IMD expects mostly clear skies for Delhi with a chance of thunder; Uttar Pradesh might see some rain or storms around May 19-20 along with possible heatwave conditions in parts of the state.
Stay weather-aware!