The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Delhi on 12 May 2026, forecasting rain and thunderstorms through 15 May as a western disturbance interacts with Bay of Bengal moisture over northwest India. The yellow alert — IMD’s “be aware” tier — was primarily active on 12 May.
What the Forecast Shows
IMD’s weekly outlook, valid 13–19 May 2026, places light-to-moderate rain and thunderstorms over Delhi on Wednesday through Friday. Gusty winds of 40–50 kmph are expected during storm episodes, with isolated higher gusts possible.
Wind gusts at these speeds can delay flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport, which handles over 1,400 daily flight movements. The weekend of 16–17 May brings partly cloudy skies with elevated humidity. Temperatures are unlikely to fall below 36°C on any day in the forecast window, so relief is relative rather than absolute.
NCR and Adjoining States
The disturbance affects a broad arc of northwest India. IMD has placed Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Rajasthan under similar thunderstorm advisories for 13–15 May.
Noida and Gurugram mirror Delhi’s three-day thunderstorm outlook under the same IMD sub-divisional zone. Faridabad and Ghaziabad face identical conditions. In Rajasthan, the eastern districts of Alwar and Bharatpur are under a separate IMD dust-storm advisory, with visibility expected to drop below 500 metres during peak squall activity on the evening of 13 May.
ℹ️ Why Pre-Monsoon Thunderstorms Matter
- Western disturbances drawing Bay of Bengal moisture generate May thunderstorms across northwest India.
- These systems contribute 10–15% of Delhi’s total annual rainfall before the southwest monsoon arrives.
- They moderate soil temperatures, influencing the pace of the monsoon’s northward advance.
- IMD’s alert scale: yellow = be aware | orange = be prepared | red = take action.
Heat Context
Delhi recorded 6 heat-wave days in April 2026 — two more than the April average for the 1991–2020 baseline. IMD classifies a plains heat wave when a station hits 45°C or departs 4.5°C above normal; Delhi crossed both thresholds on 4 dates last month. The three-day wet spell is the first forecast-confirmed rain event for the capital since late April. The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s official reference station, will benchmark whether forecast temperatures materialise.
What Comes Next
IMD will publish an updated 5-day forecast for Delhi on 15 May 2026. Southwest monsoon onset over Kerala — the conventional entry point — is expected around 1 June. Arrival over Delhi is forecast for the last week of June. Until then, western disturbance pulses remain the only reliable source of rain relief for the capital.
FAQ
When was the yellow alert issued for Delhi?
How strong will the winds be?
When does the southwest monsoon reach Delhi?
