A massive dust storm accompanied by powerful, gusty winds swept across Delhi, Noida, and Gurugram, has been witnessed, reducing visibility and disrupting evening commuters. The sudden weather shift has prompted the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue an immediate red alert, predicting heavy downpours and severe thunderstorms to lash the entire National Capital Region (NCR) within the next two to three hours.

Earlier, experts have warned that a dust storm with wind speeds of 60-90 kmph is likely to sweep across Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad between 3 pm and 5 pm. They predicted that the dust storm would likely be followed by thunderstorms and widespread rain, offering much-needed relief from the prevailing hot weather.

The IMD said that the most intense phase of rainfall is expected to last between 30 and 50 minutes, with some areas experiencing brief but heavy downpours. Gusty winds of 50-70 kmph, accompanied by lightning activity, could lead to reduced visibility, traffic disruptions and temporary power outages in some locations.

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The gusty winds and blowing dust could create hazardous conditions for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.  Residents are advised to stay away from trees, electric poles and temporary structures that may be vulnerable to strong wind gusts.

Areas Under Alert

Areas under alert include Sonipat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Rewari, Mahendragarh, Hisar, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri and Fatehabad in Haryana; Bagpat and Khekra in Uttar Pradesh; and Pilani, Bhiwadi, Sadulpur and Sidhmukh in Rajasthan. These locations could witness dust storms followed by thunderstorms, lightning and light to moderate rainfall.

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Tempertures To Drop Dramatically

The sky will remain generally cloudy throughout the day with gusty winds and occasional lightning. This sudden shift in the weather will provide much-needed relief from the heat, causing maximum temperatures to drop significantly to around 32-34 degrees Celsius.