Dust storm, squall hits national capital region, brings mercury down

IMD had on Saturday predicted Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh would witness thunderstorm accompanied by squall. It had also forecast parts of Rajasthan might see dust storm.

Pic courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: A dust storm accompanied by squall on Sunday hit the national capital region after a scorching hot morning, bringing down the mercury. In a sudden change of weather, the sky turned cloudy around 4:30 pm and gutsy winds swept the city. 

#WATCH: Skies in Faridabad turn dark as strong winds & dust storm hit the region. #Haryana pic.twitter.com/VRDn8AsGIP

— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2018

Dust storm hits the National Capital Region (NCR). Visuals from Delhi's Vijay Chowk. pic.twitter.com/09U2lhATtp

— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2018

Delhi: Strong winds and dust storm hits the region, visuals from RK Puram area. pic.twitter.com/7wTq6BiOvS

— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2018

Haryana: Skies in Faridabad turn dark as strong winds & dust storm hit the region. pic.twitter.com/0keQzFSYBX

— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2018

Delhi: Dust storm, strong winds and rainfall hit the national capital, visuals from Janpath area. pic.twitter.com/3qfZpzsePJ

— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2018

Earlier, it was a warm Sunday morning in the national capital with the minimum temperature recorded at 30.6 degrees Celsius, five notches above the season`s average.

"It was the hottest morning of the season," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official had told IANS. The humidity at 8.30 a.m. was 60 percent

Saturday's maximum temperature had settled at 42.8 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season`s average, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 26.7 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season`s average.

Meanwhile, the Met department will add 30 doppler radars in the next two-three years across the country, of which several will be in the northeast, a senior IMD official said. 

A doppler radar is a tool to provide precise information about thunderstorms, dust storms, hailstorms, rainfall and wind patterns. With a radius of 250 km, they help in issuing nowcasts 2-3 hours prior to severe weather events.

By 2019, Jammu and Kashmir will get four doppler radars, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh three each, additional director general (ADG) Devendra Pradhan said, as per PTI. "We plan to add 30 doppler radars in the next two-three years. The plan is also to have a total number 14 radars in the northeast region, including the existing three that are already installed," he said.

The first doppler radar was installed in Chennai in 2002. Its need became more compelling after the 2005 Mumbai floods.

There are currently 27 doppler radars in the country. The radar at Jaipur was non-operational during a freak thunderstorm that killed over 120 people in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan between May 2-3. 

(With Agency inputs)