The monsoon has picked up pace across the country once again, and its impact is now visible in almost every direction. Some places are seeing relentless rain, while others are being battered by winds strong enough to shake trees and power lines. A major alert has been issued for June 25. From Maharashtra to Bihar, Delhi to West Bengal, and the hill states down to South India, the change in weather will be hard to miss. Winds may touch 80 to 85 km per hour in several pockets, posing a direct threat to standing crops. The risk of lightning and thunderstrikes has also gone up, which is why people have been advised to stay alert and avoid non-essential travel, especially in areas where heavy rain along with storms and thunder is forecast.
Several weather systems active at once
Multiple weather systems are operating over the country at the same time, and that is why conditions have turned so volatile. A rain-bearing trough at sea level stretches from north Rajasthan to Bihar. Alongside it, another trough runs from north Bihar to the north-west Bay of Bengal. A cyclonic circulation is sitting over the north and central Bay of Bengal, while a western disturbance is parked over north-west Uttar Pradesh. Cyclonic circulations are also active at different levels near Haryana, north Gujarat and Lakshadweep. The combined effect of all these systems has intensified rain, strong winds and thunderstorm activity across large parts of the country. Over the next few days, the southwest monsoon is expected to advance rapidly into more areas of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. Mumbai, meanwhile, continues to see steady heavy rain.
Where the monsoon gained ground
On June 24, the monsoon made significant progress across many parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. Over the next two to three days, it is set to push further and faster towards north India. The west coast, northeast India, and sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim are likely to see heavy to very heavy rain through the week. On June 27 and 28, some areas could record extremely heavy rainfall.
Relief, but not complete
This picture, however, is not entirely comforting. Parts of east Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and north-east Madhya Pradesh are facing heatwave-like conditions even amid the rain. That is why repeated appeals for caution are being made. Strong winds could disrupt power supply, and several places may see trees falling and waterlogging.
Delhi-NCR set for a shift
Delhi and the NCR are in for a change in weather on June 25. A warning has been issued for moderate to heavy rain along with storms blowing at 50 to 60 km per hour. The capital's maximum temperature is likely to hover around 39 degrees and the minimum around 31 degrees Celsius. People who have endured prolonged heat and humidity may get some relief, but the threat of strong winds and waterlogging will linger.
Strong arrival in Uttar Pradesh
An alert for heavy rain and strong winds has been issued for many districts of Uttar Pradesh on June 25 and 26. In Bulandshahr, Agra, Mathura, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Kanpur, Raebareli, Varanasi, Gorakhpur and Prayagraj among others, winds may blow at 40 to 50 km per hour. Lucknow is likely to see a maximum of 40 degrees and a minimum of 31 degrees. Some places in east UP may continue to feel the heatwave.
Storm and lightning warning for Bihar
A warning for heavy rain and storms has been issued for several Bihar districts including West Champaran, East Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Nalanda, Gopalganj, Saran, Supaul, Purnia, Darbhanga and Bhagalpur. Winds here may blow at 50 to 55 km per hour. Special caution has been advised against lightning. Patna is expected to see a maximum of 39 degrees and a minimum of 29 degrees Celsius.
Heavy rain with thunder in Jharkhand
Ranchi, Deoghar, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Jamtara, Dumka and East and West Singhbhum are likely to see heavy rain. Winds here could pick up to 60 to 70 km per hour. Ranchi's temperature may stay around 33 degrees. People have been advised against standing in open fields or under trees.
A big cloudburst threat over West Bengal
An alert for heavy rain and strong winds is in place for many areas including Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Malda, Jalpaiguri, Kolkata and Howrah. Winds may blow at 50 to 60 km per hour. Kolkata is likely to see a maximum of 36 degrees and a minimum of 29 degrees Celsius. Sub-Himalayan West Bengal could face extremely heavy rain over the next few days.
A fresh round of storms in Rajasthan
An alert for moderate to heavy rain has been issued for many districts including Churu, Bikaner, Sriganganagar, Jaipur, Nagaur, Pali, Bharatpur and Kota. Winds here may blow at 70 to 75 km per hour. Jaipur is expected to see a maximum of 37 degrees and a minimum of 29 degrees Celsius.
A sharp turn in Punjab and Haryana
A warning for heavy rain and storms has been issued for Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala and Patiala in Punjab, where winds may blow at 60 to 65 km per hour. Alongside this, a storm alert covers eight districts of Uttarakhand including Dehradun, where winds are expected to touch 50 km per hour. A yellow alert for heavy rain and storms has also been issued for several areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
