- IMD issues orange alert for Delhi-NCR rain, hail.
- Karwa Chauth moon sighting delayed by persistent cloud cover.
- Thunderstorms and rain expected to continue for several days.
Light to moderate rain has been occurring in Delhi-NCR, with thunderstorms and lightning likely in various areas of the region over the next several hours. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Delhi-NCR, indicating thunderstorms with lightning and hailstorms in some areas of the national capital.
The IMD's district forecast predicts that scattered thunderstorms along with lightning and hail are very likely over parts of New Delhi, Southwest Delhi, West Delhi, North Delhi and Central Delhi. Other regions could witness thunderstorms with moderate rainfall.
Rain was ongoing in West and North Delhi, and it is set to continue for another five to six hours. Light to moderate rain and thundershowers can be expected to arrive in Gurugram, South Delhi and Central Delhi from around 6.30 pm onwards and are expected to continue till late night.
Some areas of Faridabad, Noida, and Ghaziabad are likely to stay mostly dry till 7-8 pm, following which the rains could move into these cities. Cloudy weather and some scattered rains will also continue in the city during the first half of Friday.
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Karwa Chauth Moon Sighting May Be Delayed
The rain and persistent cloud cover could affect moon visibility on Karwa Chauth, potentially forcing women observing the fast to wait longer before breaking it. Cloud cover across Delhi-NCR may make it difficult to spot the moon even around the expected moonrise time.
According to Drik Panchang, the expected moonrise time is 8:17 pm in Delhi and 8:16 pm in Noida. However, these timings indicate the expected moonrise and do not guarantee visibility, which will depend on local weather conditions.
Rain, Thunderstorms Likely To Continue
The IMD has forecast further spells of rain and thunderstorms across Delhi and neighbouring areas on October 29 and 30. Thundersqualls with wind speeds of 50–60 kmph, gusting up to 70 kmph, are also likely over Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh and Punjab. Isolated hailstorms cannot be ruled out.
The unsettled weather is expected to affect other parts of the country as well, with the IMD forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall in parts of eastern and central India, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, east Madhya Pradesh and east Uttar Pradesh.