IMD predicts heavy rainfall in Delhi for next 24 hours

New Delhi: A day after Delhi witnessed moderate to heavy rainfall, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Thursday predicted that intense showers will continue in isolated pockets of the national capital for the next 24 hours.

Due to approaching cloud clusters from the north-northwestward direction, the weather bureau’s Delhi department has indicated that thunderstorms accompanied with moderate to heavy rains and gusty winds are likely to occur over large parts of Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, and Greater Noida over the next two hours.

“Delhi-NCR is very likely to experience moderate rain with a spell of heavy rainfall (more than 65mm) during today’s midnight to 30 July 2020,” the IMD warned in a weather update released late Wednesday night.

On Wednesday, the showers brought relief to the people of Delhi from the sultry weather but caused waterlogging in low-lying areas, affecting traffic movement, electricity and water supply.

Meanwhile, due to a shifting monsoon trough and multiple cyclonic circulations, the IMD has predicted downpour over the rest of north India as well. Isolated heavy to very heavy rains are expected over Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh over the next 24 hours.

Moderate to severe thunderstorms accompanied with lightning are also likely to occur over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, south Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh during the next 12 hours, according to IMD’s daily weather bulletin.

Fairly widespread rainfall/ thundershowers are expected along India’s west coast. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is predicted in Kerala, coastal and south interior Karnataka, Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra, Konkan and Goa.

On Wednesday, heavy rains lashed parts of Kerala inundating low lying areas and partially disrupting rail and road traffic. Following this, the IMD issued a red alert for Kerala’s high-range Idukki district with a forecast of widespread extremely heavy showers. Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragode have been put on orange alert for the rest of the day.

The IMD has also predicted squally weather, with wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph, over the Andaman sea, Gulf of Mannar and along and off the Kerala-Karnataka coasts and Lakshadweep areas. Fishermen have been warned to stay off the water in these regions.

Meanwhile, six people died in Assam and Bihar on Wednesday due to floods which have affected over 55 lakh people in the two states so far.

Also, the highest maximum temperature of 42.4° C was recorded in Rajasthan’s Ganganagar on Wednesday, while the lowest minimum temperature of 18.6° C was reported in Chandrapur, Vidarbha. No significant change in temperatures is likely over most parts of the country during the next 3-4 days, IMD said.