Things were in a state of flux on Thursday afternoon as the rain came in hard. Airlines had no choice but to put some planes down elsewhere: we saw at least four come in to Jaipur and a good dozen more find their way to Jaipur, Lucknow and Chandigarh. With the weather being what it is, you get a ripple effect of changes across the board.
It wasn’t just a Delhi problem. The airports in Jaipur, Lucknow and Chandigarh had to step in as relief hubs to take in the extra traffic. For the carriers, it was a way to keep the aircraft in the air, but it meant the hassle was passed on to ground staff and rebooking desks.
Diversions: what moved and where
When conditions in the capital took a turn, four in particular were off to Jaipur. We are talking about AI 422 from Amritsar, 6E 1074 and WY 245 both from Phuket, and 6E 6358 coming in from Kolkata.
Then there was the larger picture. A dozen or so were rerouted to our three diversion points as pilots and ATC did what they had to for safety. You can’t make a stable approach when the rain is this heavy and the runways are hard to see.
Passenger advisory and real-time checks
The operator put out an advisory at 14:25 for anyone making the trip to the airport to check their flight first. Another one followed, telling you to double-check with the airline since the situation on the ground is moving fast.
If you have a flight on today, keep an eye on what the airline is saying. Gate and arrival times have a way of changing when you have a weather hold on your hands.
Weather drivers and near-term outlook
According to the weather office, we have a mix of thunder, lightning, hail and some moderate rain over Delhi and the NCR. Add in winds of 30 to 50 kmph and you have a recipe for some difficult landings in such a busy sky.
We’ve had some localised downpours in Alipur, Vivek Vihar, Red Fort, Narela, Burari, Model Town, Civil Lines, Shahdara and Dilshad Garden. People on the ground are feeling the cool-down as the showers pass through.
There’s a yellow alert for Friday and Saturday. We are looking at very light to light rain, some storms and strong winds in the 40-50 km/h range, with gusts to 60. Don’t expect to see much sun for the next couple of days; it will be mostly cloudy.
Heat metrics and the rain gap
The rain is a bit of a break, but the season is still with us. Safdarjung clocked in at 39.1 degrees on June 4 – a tad under the 40-degree norm – with a low of 29.7.
Over in the rest of the NCR, you’ll see highs from 36 to 40 and lows between 27 and 30. The word from officials is to brace for 38-42 degrees for the week ahead.
We might see a lull around the 6th, but by the 9th and 10th we are back in the 40-42 zone. And even with Thursday’s activity, Safdarjung has yet to put down any measurable rain for the month, which is 28 mm short of what you’d normally see.
Why the diversions matter now
From an operational standpoint, today was a test of how to keep things running without compromising safety in the middle of the heat. Jaipur, Lucknow and Chandigarh have been there as a buffer, so we don’t have to burn fuel in the air or put people on hold.
For you, the next 48 hours are a little risky for your timetable. Here is what the airport and the weather reports are saying you should do:
– Make sure you check the live status before you head out
– Be on top of it and reconfirm with the airline
– Don’t be surprised if the weather forces a change in the next day or two
Airlines will try to put things right once the skies clear. In the meantime, give yourself some leeway and let your phone do the work with notifications on.
