Delhi Airport Faces Flight Disruptions After Powerful Dust Storm Sweeps National Capital

The weather system brought strong winds that reached up to 111 kmph at Palam, while several parts of the capital experienced dust-laden gusts and reduced visibility.

A powerful dust storm disrupted flight operations in Delhi, forcing nine incoming flights to be diverted to Jaipur and causing inconvenience to passengers.

Source : ANI

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Dust storm and high winds disrupted Delhi flight operations.
• Winds reached 111 kmph, diverting nine flights to Jaipur.
• Delhi still faces high temperatures, well above seasonal normal.
• IMD predicts Wednesday thunderstorms, with temperatures remaining elevated.

A massive dust storm accompanied by powerful winds disrupted flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, forcing nine flights to be diverted to Jaipur and causing significant inconvenience to passengers.

The adverse weather conditions, which swept across parts of the national capital on Tuesday evening, affected air traffic through the night and into Wednesday morning. Airport authorities diverted several incoming flights as strong winds and reduced visibility made operations challenging.

According to airport sources, nine flights scheduled to land in Delhi were redirected to Jaipur due to bad weather conditions. The diversions led to delays and travel disruptions for hundreds of passengers.

Winds Reach 111 kmph Across Parts of Delhi

According to weather officials, wind speeds touched a maximum of 111 kilometres per hour at Palam on Tuesday evening, making it one of the strongest weather events witnessed in the city this season.

The Pusa area recorded wind speeds of up to 48 kilometres per hour, while several parts of Delhi experienced intense gusts accompanied by dust and cloudy conditions.

The sudden weather change brought temporary relief from the scorching heat but also caused disruptions across transportation networks and daily activities.

Temperatures Remain Well Above Normal

Despite the strong winds, temperatures across Delhi remained significantly above seasonal averages.

The Ridge station recorded the highest maximum temperature at 44.7 degrees Celsius, which was 3.6 degrees above normal. Lodi Road followed at 44 degrees Celsius, nearly 4 degrees above the seasonal average.

Palam recorded a maximum temperature of 43.8 degrees Celsius, while Ayanagar registered 43.6 degrees Celsius. Safdarjung, the city's base weather station, reported a high of 43.5 degrees Celsius, around 3.5 degrees above normal.

Warm Nights Continue Across the Capital

Delhi also witnessed elevated night-time temperatures.

Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 29.2 degrees Celsius, 1.6 degrees above normal. Palam registered 28 degrees Celsius, while Lodi Road reported 27.4 degrees Celsius.

The Ridge and Ayanagar stations recorded minimum temperatures of 28.3 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius, respectively, reflecting the continued heat across the region despite changing weather conditions.

IMD Forecasts Thunderstorms and Lightning

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a partly cloudy sky over Delhi on Wednesday.

The weather agency has also predicted the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places across the city during the day.

According to the forecast, the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 44 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is likely to settle near 30 degrees Celsius.