“The windows were rattling, and it broke my sleep around 5.30am. The house was filled with a layer of dust as we forgot to close the windows,” said local resident Nishtha Sheth, capturing the chaos of the early morning hours.
Ahmedabad experienced a brief but intense dust storm in the early hours of Thursday, with strong gusts reducing visibility in several localities. The winds, reaching speeds of 15 to 40 km/h, rattled homes and disrupted daily life.
As the day progressed, sporadic showers were reported in the evening, with light drizzle noted in areas such as SG Highway, Bopal, and Chandkheda. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) linked these weather conditions to an upper air cyclonic circulation over west Rajasthan.
Inbound flights faced disruptions as strong winds forced diversions to Indore. Fortunately, no deaths or major disasters have occurred despite the widespread weather activity.
Ahmedabad recorded a maximum temperature of 35.2°C and a minimum of 22.5°C on Thursday, with relative humidity levels fluctuating between 49% in the morning and 31% in the evening.
Farmers are now facing the risk of crop damage due to unseasonal rain and hail during the critical harvesting period. The weather disruption has raised concerns among the agricultural community.
The IMD has forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers in Ahmedabad over the next 24 hours, with expected surface wind speeds of 50-60 km/h and gusts potentially reaching 70 km/h.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding claims of heavy rains in the outskirts of Ahmedabad, but the situation remains fluid as residents brace for further weather developments.
