Rain, storms to bring Delhi respite from heatwave soon. Here's what IMD said

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Delhi continued to swelter on Monday, with the maximum settling at 42.1°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said similar conditions will prevail throughout the day as a “yellow alert” for heatwave is active in the first half. Visitors drape cloth over themselves to shield from the heat on a hot summer day visit to the Red Fort in the old quarters of Delhi on April 26, 2026. (AFP)Temperatures are expected to hover between 43°C and 45°C today. However, a gradual shift is on the horizon as weather activity builds up. The IMD has indicated that changing conditions will start bringing relief from Tuesday. With overcast skies and the return of rain, the maximum temperature is likely to fall to 40–42°C on Tuesday and dip further to 39–41°C on Wednesday. An IMD official said “cloudiness is expected to remain on Thursday too,” adding that temperatures may drop further, with the maximum “close to 37°C.” The weather department has also predicted thunderstorm with rain for the capital city on April 28 and 29. An amateur weather observer Navdeep Dahiya flagged a similar pattern with an incoming spell of summer storms for Tuesday. In a post on X. he said, “much-awaited relief from the heatwave” is expected as conditions shift early this week. He noted that “heatwave conditions will continue on Monday,” but “temperatures are expected to fall from Tuesday evening in rain-affected regions.” Detailing what lies ahead, Dahiya said residents should brace for “strong dust storms (40–80 km/h wind gusts), followed by short spells of moderate to heavy intensity rain and thundershowers.” These spells, he said, may last “15–45 minutes,” with some areas seeing “sustained drizzle for 2–3 hours after the passage of a storm.” Thunderstorms are also expected to bring lightning and rumbling thunder, though “the risk of hailstorms remains on the lower side,” with isolated events still possible. In its broader outlook, the IMD said “widespread rainfall activity” is likely over Northeast and adjoining eastern India, over the next three days. It further predicted “isolated to scattered rainfall activity” across North India and southern parts of the peninsula over the next three days. Dahiya also added that Delhi-NCR could see “30–50% coverage” of storm activity initially, with a wider spread across several states between April 28 and 30, marking the peak phase of this weather system. Even as relief approaches in some regions, the IMD has warned that heatwave conditions are “very likely to persist” in isolated pockets across northwest and central India, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat. Similar conditions are expected in Himachal Pradesh on April 27, while Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh may continue to experience heatwave conditions through April 28. Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered.Read More