120 kmph winds hit Delhi. Palam hasn’t seen that speed in 25 years.

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A dust storm swept through Delhi on Tuesday evening, sending wind speeds soaring across several parts of the city. The highest reading came from the Palam weather station, where winds reached 120 kmph for a brief period during the evening.

Weather records show that Palam had last seen winds of this strength in June 2001. While the latest storm matched that mark, older records show even higher speeds, with gusts crossing 140 kmph on a few occasions during the late 1980s and 1990s.

The impact of the storm was felt across Delhi. Strong winds were also recorded at Pusa, Safdarjung, Jafarpur and Chhattarpur, while stations in Pitampura, Janakpuri, Lodi Road and Mayur Vihar reported lower readings.

The storm arrived after another very hot day in the capital. Temperatures remained above normal in many areas, with Ridge reporting the highest reading at 44.7 degrees Celsius. Other major weather stations also recorded temperatures above 43 degrees Celsius.

According to Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather, the change in weather was linked to a cyclonic system active over parts of Pakistan and nearby regions. He said the system helped trigger dust storms and scattered rainfall over Delhi.

Similar weather conditions may continue on Wednesday, with chances of strong winds and light rain in some places.

Weather experts expect pre-monsoon activity to pick up from June 11. As a result, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab could receive rain over a wider area during the next few days.

The expected spell of rain may bring relief from the intense heat. Temperatures across the region are likely to fall and may drop below 40 degrees Celsius later this week.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted partly cloudy conditions for Wednesday. Thunderstorms and lightning may occur in isolated areas, while temperatures are expected to remain around 44 degrees Celsius during the day and near 30 degrees Celsius at night.