NEW DELHI: The national capital saw a sudden change in weather on Friday evening as strong dust storms and gusty winds hit the city, prompting the Met department to warn of adverse weather conditions in the coming hours and issue an orange alert for Delhi-NCR.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a dust storm followed by a thunderstorm, accompanied by light to moderate rainfall, lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-80 kmph, is expected later in the evening.The department also outlined possible impacts of the severe weather, cautioning that strong winds and hail may damage plantations, horticulture, and standing crops.There is also a risk of injury to people and cattle in open areas, partial damage to vulnerable structures, minor harm to kutcha houses and huts, and the possibility of loose objects being blown away.The orange alert indicates that residents should “be prepared” and “take action” as per the IMD’s advisory.The IMD has advised people to stay indoors, secure windows and doors, and avoid unnecessary travel.It also recommended taking shelter in safe places — not under trees — and avoiding contact with concrete surfaces.People are urged to unplug electrical appliances, exit water bodies immediately, and stay away from objects that conduct electricity.Delhi witnessed sunny weather during the day but by evening, the sky had turned cloudy.The maximum temperature was recorded at 35.8 degrees Celsius, 0.3 notches below normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 22.8 degrees Celsius, 1.8 notches above normal, according to the Met office.Humidity levels ranged between 69 and 61 per cent.The IMD has predicted thunderstorms with rain on Saturday.The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 35 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature could dip to around 20 degrees Celsius.Delhi’s air quality showed a slight improvement, shifting from the ‘poor’ to the ‘moderate’ category, with an AQI of 164 at 4 pm, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.
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