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New Delhi: Following several days of dry, scorching weather, the national capital is set for a shift as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a rain and thunderstorm warning starting Monday.

According to the IMD, northwestern states- including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand- are also expected to see thunderstorms and rainfall beginning May 11.

Yellow Alert Issued

Furthermore, a 'yellow alert' has been issued for the national capital this Tuesday and Wednesday. The IMD expects evening clouds, light showers, and thunderstorms with gusty winds to provide a much-needed break from the current heatwave.

The Regional Weather Forecast Centre, Delhi, on Monday had also issued a nowcast warning for light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30-50 kmph over Delhi and NCR during the next two hours. 

Mercury to drop

The IMD forecasts that temperatures are expected to drop slightly to the 35-37°C range by Tuesday, thanks to the cooling effects of rain and cloud cover.

Forecasters predict that the capital will see thunderstorms featuring lightning and winds averaging 30-40 kmph, with occasional bursts hitting 50 kmph. These shifting conditions are expected to offer a brief, welcome escape from the city's intense heat.

As heatwaves and record-breaking temperatures grip much of North India, the IMD predicts that thunderstorms and rain will begin spreading across various parts of the region this Monday.

Above-normal rainfall

The IMD, in its latest monthly outlook on Friday, predicted that India would experience above-normal rainfall in May, even as temperature patterns remain mixed across regions, with some parts expected to face above-normal heatwave conditions. 

"During May 2026, maximum temperatures are expected to be normal to below normal across many parts of the country," the IMD said in a press release issued by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. 

However, it added that "above-normal temperatures are likely in many parts of southern peninsular India, some parts of the northeast, and northwest India." The weather agency said minimum temperatures are expected to remain above normal over large parts of the country, although some regions in northwest, central, and adjoining peninsular India may see normal to below-normal night temperatures. 

The IMD noted that broader climate signals are shifting, with oceanic conditions pointing towards a warmer phase ahead. "ENSO-neutral conditions are evolving towards El Nino conditions over the equatorial Pacific," it said, adding that models indicate El Nino development during the upcoming southwest monsoon season. It also said neutral Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) conditions currently prevail, but "positive IOD conditions are likely to develop towards the end of the monsoon season."