Noida, Greater Noida Rattled by Heavy Rain and Hailstorm; IMD Issues Yellow Alert for Pre-Monsoon Weather Update
Heavy rain and hailstorm hit several areas of Noida and Greater Noida late Wednesday night, bringing a sharp change in weather and offering much-needed relief from intense summer heat. Strong winds swept through parts of the region before rainfall began, and hail fell in significant quantity in areas including Alpha Commercial Market and nearby localities. The sudden spell caused temperatures to drop noticeably, giving residents a break from the heatwave-like conditions and humidity that had troubled them for days.
The India Meteorological Department had already issued a yellow alert for Delhi-NCR, warning of very light to light rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph during the evening and night. Meteorologists had said such pre-monsoon activity could intensify, and the forecast proved accurate as weather conditions turned volatile across Noida and Greater Noida.
According to Skymet Weather vice president Mahesh Palawat, the rain and strong winds were triggered by a cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan. He said the pre-monsoon system is expected to strengthen further from June 11, leading to a significant drop in temperatures across Delhi-NCR and much of north India. Palawat said rain activity is likely to increase in the coming days, with temperatures expected to fall below 40 degrees Celsius. Weather experts noted that a sharp rise in temperatures above 42 degrees Celsius often comes before stronger pre-monsoon systems that can trigger thunderstorms, gusty winds, and widespread rain.
Official weather data showed that no rainfall was recorded at any major weather station in the city between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm on Wednesday, highlighting how abruptly the conditions changed later in the day. The evening storm brought cloud cover, dust-laden winds, and heavy showers, transforming the atmosphere within a short period.
In Himachal Pradesh, the weather office issued an orange alert for hail, lightning, and strong winds in parts of the state on June 11 and 12. Districts including Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur were placed under warning for winds of 40-50 kmph. The Meteorological Department said a new western disturbance affecting the western Himalayan region from June 11 is likely to bring rain across the state until June 16.
Several parts of Himachal Pradesh received light to moderate rain in the last 24 hours. Sarahan recorded 30 mm of rainfall, followed by Palampur with 9.4 mm, Rohru 8 mm, Manali 6 mm, Kotkhai 5.2 mm, Neri 2.5 mm, and smaller amounts in Shilaroo, Bharmour, Sangla, Jot, and Joginder Nagar. Thunderstorms and lightning were reported from Jot, Sundernagar, and Kangra, while gusty winds between 37 kmph and 63 kmph were recorded in Neri and Sundernagar. Kukumseri was the coldest place in the state at night with a minimum temperature of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius, while Una was the hottest during the day at 43.2 degrees Celsius.
