Fresh Spell of Storms and Rain Likely in North India: What IMD Has Predicted?
New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued weather-related warnings for various parts of the country on Friday, forecasting the onset of a new spell of storms and strong winds in Northwest India between May 11 and May 14.
Heavy rainfall is predicted for Kerala and Tamil Nadu
In South India, heavy rainfall is predicted for Kerala and Tamil Nadu over the next seven days. Conversely, the Meteorological Department's bulletin warns residents of Rajasthan and Gujarat to brace for a severe spell of scorching winds.
Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are likely to experience rain accompanied by lightning and winds gusting between 40 and 60 km per hour from May 11 to May 14. Specifically, isolated instances of hailstorms are also possible in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh on May 12 and 13. Punjab, Haryana, and the Delhi-NCR region are also expected to witness light rain and thunderstorms starting from the evening of May 11.
Pre-monsoon activity in these areas
Pre-monsoon activity is expected to persist for the next week across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the interior regions of Karnataka. Warnings have been issued for heavy rainfall (7–11 cm) and strong winds in isolated pockets within these areas.
Likelihood of severe storms in these states
Turning to East India, West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand face the likelihood of severe storms (50–70 km per hour) and hailstorms on May 8 and 9.
West India continues to swelter
While rain alerts are in effect for the hilly regions and South India, West India continues to swelter. The Meteorological Department has warned that heatwave conditions will persist in Western Rajasthan, Saurashtra, and Kutch over the next seven days. Other parts of Gujarat are also expected to experience intense heat between May 9 and May 14. Over the past 24 hours, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan recorded a temperature of 45.1 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest place in the country.
In Delhi, the skies are expected to remain clear for the next three days, with temperatures gradually rising. By May 10, the maximum temperature could reach up to 39 degrees Celsius. There are prospects of some relief from the heat starting from the evening or night of May 11, due to dust storms and light rainfall. In view of the possibility of hailstorms and strong winds, farmers have been advised to store harvested crops in safe locations and provide support to horticultural crops.