Rain, thunderstorm likely in Delhi; IMD issues 'orange' alert for hailstorm in Himachal

IMD forecasts strong winds in Delhi, hailstorms in Himachal Pradesh, and thunderstorms across North India.

A day after recording the second-highest 24-hour spell of rain in May since 1901, the IMD forecast a brief spell of rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds, in Delhi on Saturday (May 3, 2025).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kilometres per hour for the national capital, with a 'yellow' alert — "Be Aware" — in place. As a precaution, people have been advised to stay indoors, avoid sheltering under trees and unplug electronic appliances.

Meanwhile, the Met office in Shimla has issued an 'orange' warning for hailstorms in isolated places of Himachal Pradesh till Sunday even as parts of the state received rain on Saturday.

Shimla and its surrounding Jubbarhatti area were lashed by a hailstorm and several other places by heavy rain on Friday.

Several areas in Delhi, including Jafarpur, Najafgarh, Dwarka, Palam, IGI Airport, Vasant Kunj, Tughlakabad and Deramandi, and parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) such as Gurugram and Faridabad are likely to witness light rain, moderate thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by gusty winds.

The weather office has also forecast thunderstorms and rain for Sunday.

An intense storm with heavy early-morning rain hit the national capital on Friday, causing a house collapse that killed a woman and her three children and delaying more than 200 flights, even as the city grappled with widespread waterlogging.