Delhi and its nearby areas woke up to a dust storm on Friday morning, followed by light rainfall and thunderstorms, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The weather office has forecast thunderstorms and lightning with gusty winds at 30-40 kmph on Saturday for Delhi and its surrounding areas, with maximum temperature expected to reach 33 degrees Celsius and the minimum around 20 degrees Celsius.

On Friday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 33.7 degrees Celsius, 0.3 notches below normal. The night temperature in Delhi settled at 22.4 degrees Celsius, 3.6 notches above normal.

Weather experts attributed the morning dust storm to a disturbance over the western Himalayas, which has induced a cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan and adjoining Haryana and Rajasthan.

Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology, IMD, told The Indian Express, “It was predicted around seven days ago that Delhi will receive spells of rain. This happens due to the western disturbances unfolding in other countries, causing rain and thunderstorms. Such conditions will be present today and tomorrow, with another spell around April 6 and 7.”

“Thunderstorms occur whenever favourable conditions like western disturbances are present. Some years it will be more and some years it will be less, but it occurs every year,” he added.

According to IMD, two successive western disturbances are likely to affect Northwest India, including Delhi-NCR, during the week with peak activity on April 3, 4 and 7. While light to moderate rainfall with isolated thunderstorms is expected on April 7 and 8, isolated hailstorms are likely on April 4.

There has been a 3-4°C rise in day temperatures and 2-3°C increase in night temperatures during the last 24 hours over Delhi, the IMD said.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) on Friday stood at 266, in the ‘Poor’ category, up from 194 (Moderate) recorded on Thursday. The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas blamed the rise on the dust storm in the morning.

An official said that anti-pollution curbs under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will not be invoked as of now. “Due to the weather forecast indicating possibility of light rain today and tomorrow with favourable meteorological conditions in the coming days, the overall AQI of Delhi is likely to stay in the ‘Moderate’ category in the coming days. Hence, it was decided that invocation of GRAP Stage I was not required at the moment,” the official added.