Kota dust storm season: what to expect and how to stay safe

A Kota dust storm, the aandhi that everyone in Rajasthan knows, can turn a blazing afternoon into brown twilight in minutes. The sky on the horizon darkens, the wind arrives in a sudden rush, dust fills the air and, very often, a burst of rain and lightning follows. Most storms pass within an hour, but they can bring down trees and wires and make roads dangerous. This guide explains when and why dust storms hit Kota, how to get official warning, and what to do at home, on the road and afterwards.

We do not publish forecasts. For warnings in force today, see the official sources below and our Kota weather warnings guide.

When dust storms happen

Dust storms in Kota belong to the hot season, especially May and June. That timing is no accident: May is Kota’s hottest month, with a mean maximum of 42.6 C in the IMD 1991-2020 normals, and the air is extremely dry, with evening relative humidity around 15 percent. The ground is bare and loose after months without rain; May normally gets under 10 mm.

Month	Mean max	Rainfall	Evening humidity (17:30 IST)	Dust storm likelihood
April	39.3 C	8.4 mm	13%	Possible
May	42.6 C	9.7 mm	15%	Most likely
June	40.3 C	80.3 mm	33%	Likely until the monsoon sets in
July	34.3 C	296.7 mm	62%	Rare once the rains are established

Source for the climate figures: IMD 1991-2020 normals for Kota Airport. The likelihood column is a general description of the season, not an official statistic.

Why they form

Intense heat makes the air near the ground rise vigorously in the afternoon. When a weather system brings in some moisture or cooler air aloft, towering storm clouds can build quickly. Rain falling from those clouds into very dry air evaporates and chills the air, which then plunges to the ground and spreads out as a strong, gusty outflow. That rushing wind lifts the loose dust and pushes it ahead as a wall. Strong, hot westerly winds blowing across the dry land in the hot season can also raise dust on their own, without a storm cloud.

This is why dust storms often arrive in the late afternoon or evening, why they so often come with lightning, and why a few drops of muddy rain may follow the dust. Our Kota lightning safety guide covers the thunderstorm side, and the Kota wind guide shows how the hot westerlies build from April to June.

What a dust storm brings

• Sudden strong gusts that can bring down trees, branches, tin sheets, hoardings, scaffolding and power lines.
• A sharp drop in visibility, sometimes within a minute or two, which is the main road danger.
• Dust everywhere: in homes, eyes, lungs, water tanks and engines.
• Power cuts, either from damage or because supply is switched off for safety.
• A temperature drop after the storm, sometimes by several degrees, which is the one welcome part.
• Short heavy rain and lightning in many cases.

Dust storm days by month (IMD 1991-2020)

IMD’s Climatological Tables 1991-2020 for Kota Airport count the average number of days each month on which a dust storm is observed:

Month	Dust storm days	Thunder days
March	0.1	0.7
April	0.6	1.0
May	0.9	1.6
June	1.2	4.1
October	0.2	0.4
Year	3.0	21.7

Almost all dust storms come between April and June, peaking in June just before the monsoon sets in. June also has the most mornings with winds of 20 km/h or more at the observatory. Three dust storm days a year sounds few, but the count is for one observing site; storms that miss the airport can still hit other parts of the city and district. For the wider storm season, see Kota thunderstorms and Kota weather in June.

Getting warning

1. IMD district warnings. The district-wise warnings map shows thunderstorm, dust storm and squall warnings for Kota district for the coming days, colour-coded yellow, orange or red.
2. IMD nowcasts. In storm season, IMD issues short-range nowcasts valid for the next few hours, shown on its website and the Mausam app.
3. NDMA Sachet carries official public alerts.
4. The sky. A brown or dark band on the western or north-western horizon on a hot afternoon, a sudden calm, then a cool gust, are the classic signs.

Before the storm: at home

• Close windows and doors on the windward side; stuff gaps with cloth.
• Bring in or tie down loose items on roofs and balconies: chairs, pots, sheets, solar panels that are not secured, laundry.
• Cover water tanks and stored drinking water.
• Park vehicles away from trees, hoardings and weak walls.
• Keep a torch and charged phone ready in case of a power cut.

During the storm

• Stay indoors and away from windows.
• If you are outside, get into a solid building. Do not shelter under trees, hoardings, tin sheds or next to old walls.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a damp cloth or a mask, and protect your eyes.
• People with asthma or other lung problems should keep their inhalers or medicines at hand.

On the road

• Slow down and turn on low-beam headlights as visibility drops.
• If you cannot see, pull well off the road, away from trees and poles, stop, and wait. Keep your foot off the brake so that following drivers do not mistake you for a moving vehicle in the lane.
• Two-wheeler riders are especially at risk from gusts and debris: stop and take shelter in a building.
• After the storm, watch for fallen branches, wires and debris.

After the storm

• Never touch fallen wires; report them to the electricity supplier.
• Check roofs and water tanks for dust and debris.
• Dust can keep the Air Quality Index high for hours. Check the CPCB AQI before outdoor exercise; see Kota air quality.

Dust storms and the rest of the hot season

Dust storms are one piece of Kota’s demanding hot season, alongside heatwaves and hot nights. Read our Kota heatwave guide for heat safety, Kota temperature for monthly highs and records, and Kota weather by month for the whole year. If you are a student in a hostel, Kota weather for students has season-by-season advice.