Overview
- Delhi-NCR was hit by a sudden evening storm on March 18, with gusts up to 68 km/h, heavy rain, widespread traffic snarls, at least 16 flight diversions and hundreds of delays, and a rapid 10°C temperature plunge within 30 minutes.
- IMD kept alerts in place for March 19–20 in the capital, forecasting light to moderate rain with thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds of 40–50 km/h, gusting to 60 km/h, with overcast skies persisting into Friday.
- Fresh snowfall was reported in higher reaches of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, and forecasts point to heavy mountain snow and isolated hail over parts of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as the system peaks around March 20.
- After early‑March highs that touched 36.8°C in Delhi, maximum temperatures are projected to dip to about 27°C by Friday, with IMD’s chief saying two more western disturbances around March 23 and 27 should keep readings normal to below normal.
- Despite showers, Delhi’s air quality remained poor at around 232 on Wednesday, with authorities monitoring trends and no immediate tightening of restrictions reported.