Gusty winds, light rain to bring relief till May 6 in Gautam Budh Nagar: IMD

Noida Residents in Gautam Budh Nagar district can look forward to a break from scorching heat from Friday onwards as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light rain accompanied by gusty winds in the region till May 6.

The weather change is being attributed to a western disturbance and cyclonic circulation over northwest India, which has already led to a dip in temperature and improved air quality over the last few days.

On Thursday, Noida recorded a minimum temperature of 24.8 degrees Celsius (°C), slightly lower than Wednesday’s 25.8°C. The maximum temperature settled at 36°C, which was 33.5 °C on Wednesday.

According to the IMD’s regional forecast, rain or thundershowers accompanied by strong gusty winds are expected on May 2 (Friday), while the days following it are likely to see partly cloudy skies with occasional spells of light rain or thunderstorms. Minimum and maximum temperatures during this period are expected to hover around 25°C and 36°C, respectively.

On Thursday, residents welcomed the weather shift, especially those sensitive to heat and pollution.

“It is such a relief to finally sleep without the air conditioner running all night. The breeze has made evenings much more pleasant,” said Jyoti Jaiswal, a Sector Ecotech 2 resident.

Another resident, Harish Kumar, a senior citizen from Sector 134, Noida, said, “The past few weeks were unbearable. We even avoided going out for evening walks. But now, the winds are cool and even the AQI (air quality index) seems better.

The IMD officials noted that the rain and wind are part of a broader weather pattern seen across north India due to an active western disturbance.

“Gautam Budh Nagar, like parts of the NCR (national capital region), will see intermittent rain and gusty winds till at least May 6. This is not a monsoon system but a pre-monsoon activity that typically occurs during this period,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate & meteorology at Skymet Weather.

The changing weather has also benefited local air quality, which had seen a spike in pollutants in early April. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the AQI in Noida has remained in the “moderate” range.

On Thursday, the AQI of Noida and Greater Noida remained under moderate zone, at 183 and 121 respectively, as per CPCB.

The district administration, meanwhile, has advised residents to stay indoors during strong winds and avoid parking vehicles under trees or unstable structures.

As summer intensifies, these brief spells of relief are likely to become more frequent, meteorologists say, especially as the monsoon approaches in June.