A powerful dust storm swept across Thane and Navi Mumbai on Saturday evening, creating panic-like scenes in several areas, including Dombivli, Ulwe, and Panvel. Dramatic visuals shared online showed massive clouds of dust covering the sky while strong winds reduced visibility on roads and affected normal movement. Residents and commuters faced difficulties as the sudden weather disturbance disrupted traffic and outdoor activities. According to updates shared by Mumbai Rains on X, the storm activity was reported between 3.45 pm and 4.30 pm. Videos circulating on social media captured the intensity of the winds, with one resident describing the situation on Dombivli’s 90 Feet Road as an extremely strong dust storm.
In Navi Mumbai’s Panvel, locals reported that the weather changed suddenly within minutes, creating dark and dusty conditions across the city. Strong winds reportedly lifted large amounts of dust into the air, slowing down traffic movement and causing inconvenience to motorists travelling through different parts of Panvel. Similar dust storm conditions were also witnessed in the Ulwe area of Navi Mumbai, where residents experienced reduced visibility and gusty winds. Later in the evening, around 5.15 pm, Panvel received heavy rainfall following the dust storm. A video shared by Mumbai Rains showed intense showers hitting the area soon after the dramatic change in weather conditions.
The sudden shift in weather came at a time when the Regional Meteorological Centre had already issued a yellow alert for hot and humid conditions across Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Raigad districts until May 10. Weather forecasts had predicted soaring temperatures in the region over the weekend. According to an AccuWeather report, Thane was expected to record a maximum temperature of nearly 40 degrees Celsius, while Navi Mumbai was likely to witness temperatures around 37 degrees Celsius. The unexpected dust storm and rainfall provided temporary relief from the heat, though the changing weather conditions also caused concern among residents in several parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.