Rain offers Delhi NCR a breather from severe heatwave conditions gripping the national capital

After days of blistering afternoons, burning roads and suffocating nights, Delhi woke up to a rare moment of comfort on Saturday morning as light rain, cloudy skies and gusty winds swept across parts of the national capital and the NCR. The sudden shift in weather brought visible relief to exhausted residents who had spent the past week battling heatwave conditions that had gripped the city like a furnace.

The mood across several areas appeared noticeably lighter as intermittent showers and dust storms cooled temperatures, even if only briefly. For many Delhiites, the rain was less about the weather and more about finally escaping the relentless discomfort that had disrupted daily life.

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Visuals around Chandragupta Marg & Jesus And Mary Marg

#WATCH | Parts of Delhi receive light rainfall this morning, bringing relief after days of scorching heat.

Visuals around Chandragupta Marg & Jesus And Mary Marg. pic.twitter.com/1iqwwXXfUO

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2026

Visuals from Pandit Pant Marg

#WATCH | Delhi: Visuals from Pandit Pant Marg area as it experiences a soft breeze and drizzling, bringing relief from the prevailing heatwave. pic.twitter.com/AlCJKdFzCM

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2026

Visuals from Pandit Pant Marg

#WATCH | After days of scorching heat, parts of Delhi experience a change in weather this morning. Grey clouds cover the sky and a soft breeze blows.

Visuals from Firozeshah Road. pic.twitter.com/dGTjc0yWUT

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2026

Drivers and outdoor workers, among the worst affected by the heatwave, described the past few days as unbearable. A taxi driver said the intense heat until Friday had not only drained him physically but had also started affecting the functioning of his vehicle during long hours on the road. An auto-rickshaw driver shared similar concerns, saying the scorching temperatures had made it difficult to continue working through the day, while Saturday’s cooler conditions finally offered some relief.

Respite may prove short-lived

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘Orange Alert’ for Delhi and adjoining NCR regions, cautioning that severe heatwave conditions are expected to persist until May 27. Weather officials have warned that temperatures in several parts of the capital could climb as high as 46 degrees Celsius in the coming days despite the brief spell of rain.

According to the Meteorological Department, maximum temperatures are likely to remain between 45 and 47 degrees Celsius in many areas over the next several days. Wind speeds may also touch 35 kilometres per hour, increasing the possibility of dust storms and dry weather conditions across the region.

Even before Saturday’s rain, Delhi had already recorded temperatures well above normal levels. On Friday, the Safdarjung observatory reported a maximum temperature of 43.3 degrees Celsius, which was 3.1 degrees above the seasonal average. The minimum temperature settled at 29.3 degrees Celsius, also significantly above normal.

Other monitoring stations across the capital painted a similarly grim picture. Lodhi Road recorded 43.4 degrees Celsius, Aya Nagar touched 43.5 degrees, Palam registered 43.2 degrees, while the Ridge area emerged as the hottest location in the city at 44.4 degrees Celsius.