Delhi set for stormy end to wettest May on record, a month without a single heatwave

As May draws to a close, Delhi is bracing for more rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds, capping off what has already become the wettest May ever recorded in the capital, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed on Monday.

In its latest forecast, the IMD said that cloudy skies, accompanied by lightning, thunder and rainfall, are expected throughout the week. A yellow alert has been issued for Thursday, May 30, with predictions of light rain, thunderstorms, lightning and winds reaching speeds between 30 and 50 kmph, potentially going up to 60 kmph. Similar weather may persist into May 31, with a chance of very light rain and gusty winds, TOI reported.

So far, Delhi has recorded 186.4 mm of rainfall this month, eclipsing all previous May records. The city has experienced five major storms this month. The first storm struck on May 2, lashing the city with 77 mm of rain, a dust storm and winds touching 80 kmph. On May 15, dust-raising winds of 40–50 kmph significantly reduced visibility to 1,200–1,500 metres for nearly 12 hours, triggering a noticeable spike in pollution levels.

Just two days later, on May 17, winds surged to 74 kmph during a thunderstorm that brought light rain. Another storm on May 21 led to 12 mm of rainfall along with wind gusts reaching 79 kmph. The most intense storm so far occurred on May 25, delivering a heavy downpour of 81.4 mm and powerful winds peaking at 82 kmph.