Heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds disrupted flight operations in Delhi on Thursday afternoon, forcing at least four flights to be diverted to Jaipur as adverse weather conditions impacted air traffic movement in and around the national capital, reported NDTV.
According to NDTV, the affected flights included AI 422, 6E 1074, WY 245, and 6E 6358, all of which were diverted to Jaipur due to poor weather conditions at Delhi airport. Air India flight AI 422 was from Amritsar to New Delhi, flight 6E 1074 was from Phuket to Delhi and flights WY 245 was from Phuket to Delhi. Flight 6E 6358 on Thursday was from Kolkata to Delhi.
The diversions came as intense rain and thunderstorm activity reduced visibility and complicated landing operations.
The weather disruption coincided with a significant change in conditions across Delhi-NCR, where several areas received much-needed rainfall after weeks of scorching heat. Localities including Alipur, Vivek Vihar, Red Fort, Narela, Burari, Model Town, Civil Lines, Shahdara, and Dilshad Garden witnessed moderate to heavy showers, cloudy skies, and a sharp drop in temperatures.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier issued a weather alert warning of thunderstorms, lightning, hailstorms, and moderate rainfall across Delhi and adjoining National Capital Region areas. The weather agency also cautioned residents about gusty winds with speeds ranging between 30 kmph and 50 kmph, which were expected to accompany the storm activity.
The sudden change in weather brought relief from the intense summer conditions that had prevailed across the region. Delhi's Safdarjung observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 39.1 degrees Celsius on June 4, slightly below the seasonal normal of 40 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature stood at 29.7 degrees Celsius.
Across NCR stations, maximum temperatures ranged between 36 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures hovered between 27 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius. Weather officials expect temperatures to remain within the 38-42 degrees Celsius range over the coming week, with a temporary dip forecast around June 6 before climbing again towards 40-42 degrees Celsius by June 9 and 10.
Despite Thursday's showers, Delhi continues to face a rainfall deficit. The Safdarjung observatory has recorded no measurable rainfall so far in June, compared with the monthly normal of 28 mm for the period.
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