Even after the monsoon's arrival, Bihar hasn't caught a break from the sticky, oppressive humidity. The meteorological centre has issued a yellow alert for rain today, Sunday, across 20 districts of the state. Officials say these districts can expect moderate to heavy rain accompanied by thunder, along with winds gusting up to nearly 50 kilometres per hour. Weather scientists have also flagged a serious risk of lightning strikes in several pockets.
The 20 districts under the yellow alert
Clouds are expected to blanket most parts of the state today. The 20 districts placed under the yellow alert are West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Sitamarhi, Buxar, Bhojpur, Kaimur, Rohtas, Patna, Arwal, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Nawada, Gaya, Nalanda, Begusarai, Sheikhpura and Lakhisarai. Districts in the state's northeastern and eastern belt, meanwhile, have no special warning in place for now, and weather in the remaining 18 districts is expected to stay normal today.
Weather scientists say the maximum temperature could climb by 1 to 3 degrees Celsius across several parts of the state over the next 48 hours. The silver lining, though, is that the monsoon is strongly expected to become fully active across Bihar after July 5, which could usher in a proper spell of heavy rain.
What's in store for Patna
The state capital will stay under cloud cover for the next four days. Different parts of the city could see spells of rain with strong winds, or intermittent drizzle accompanied by thunder. The maximum temperature in Patna is expected to hover between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius over the coming days, with the minimum staying between 28 and 30 degrees Celsius.
Saturday's hottest spots, still under 40 degrees
The maximum temperature across Bihar currently remains below 40 degrees Celsius, but high moisture in the air is making conditions muggy and uncomfortable. Bhabhua was the state's hottest spot on Saturday, recording a maximum of 39.5 degrees Celsius. Motihari, Patna, Aurangabad, Buxar and Gaya also hovered around the 38 degree Celsius mark.
Weather department's safety advisory
Given the risk from lightning and strong winds, the weather department has urged people to take some precautions.
- Avoid open fields, standing under trees or staying near electric poles during bad weather or when lightning is striking.
- If the weather turns bad suddenly while working in a field, take shelter immediately in a solid, secure building.
- Avoid using electronic devices during a lightning strike.
Advisory for farmers
Recent rainfall has left enough moisture in the fields, and the weather department has advised farmers to make the most of it by starting the sowing of early, quick-maturing paddy varieties. The window between July 10 and July 15 has been marked as the right time for this. To guard against seed-borne diseases, farmers have been advised to treat seeds with fungicide before sowing. Those with paddy nurseries that are 10 to 15 days old have been told to carry out timely weeding to keep weeds under control. Farmers who have adequate irrigation facilities available can also begin transplanting medium-duration paddy varieties.
