Dust storm batters Delhi as Palam records 120 kmph winds
Dust-laden winds lashed Delhi on Tuesday evening, with Palam recording a peak of 120 kmph. The storm came amid extreme heat, with more gusty winds, rain and a temperature dip likely in the coming days.
As strong dust-laden winds swept across the national capital on Tuesday evening, the Palam station recorded a peak wind speed of 120 kmph, matching its previous such record in 2001, according to the IMD data.s
The weather station experienced 120 kmph of gusty winds between 6.50 and 6.52 pm on Tuesday.
The last time Palam recorded winds of similar intensity was on June 4, 2001, when the maximum wind speed had also touched 120 kmph.
Stronger gusts were recorded in earlier years, including 147 kmph on May 25, 1991, 145 kmph on May 2, 1989, 139 kmph on June 6, 1997, and 126 kmph on June 16, 1988.
Other stations also reported strong winds during the storm. Pusa recorded a maximum wind speed of 80 kmph at 7.30 pm, Safdarjung 64 kmph between 7.07 and 7.09 pm, Jafarpur 59 kmph at 7 pm, Chhattarpur 56 kmph at 7.15 pm, Pitampura 35 kmph at 6.30 pm, Lodi Road 31 kmph at 7.45 pm, Janakpuri 30 kmph at 7.30 pm and Mayur Vihar 13 kmph at 7.30 pm.
The strong winds were accompanied by soaring temperatures across the city.
Among the weather stations, Ridge recorded the highest maximum temperature at 44.7 degrees Celsius, 3.6 degrees above normal, followed by Lodi Road at 44 degrees Celsius, around 4 degrees above normal.
Palam recorded a maximum temperature of 43.8 degrees Celsius, 2.8 degrees above normal, Ayanagar registered 43.6 degrees Celsius, around 1.5 degrees above normal, and Safdarjung recorded 43.5 degrees Celsius, about 3.5 degrees above normal.
Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather said the strong winds and isolated rain activity were triggered by a cyclonic circulation persisting over central Pakistan and adjoining areas.
He said similar conditions, including sporadic rain and gusty winds, are likely on Wednesday.
Palawat added that pre-monsoon activity is expected to intensify from June 11 onwards, bringing fairly widespread rainfall over Delhi, Haryana and Punjab.
The enhanced rain activity is likely to result in a significant drop in temperatures across the region, bringing them below the 40-degree Celsius mark in the following days.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a partly cloudy sky on Wednesday with the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle at around 44 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius, respectively.