Madhya Pradesh's monsoon, which has been losing steam for several days, is set to pick up pace again soon. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the state can expect fresh rainfall in about 9 days. On Friday, July 17, a heavy rain alert has been issued for Balaghat and Dindori districts, while 31 other districts across the state are likely to see thunder, strong winds and light rain.
Heavy rain alert for these districts today
The weather department has issued a heavy rainfall warning for Balaghat and Dindori for Friday. Thunderstorm activity with rain is also expected in several districts including Jabalpur, Mandla, Seoni, Chhindwara, Shahdol, Umaria, Anuppur, Katni, Narsinghpur, Damoh and Sagar. Strong winds are likely in some areas, which could raise the risk of lightning strikes, and residents have been urged to stay alert.
A late monsoon that has since gone quiet
This year, the monsoon arrived late in Madhya Pradesh. It brought good rainfall in the initial phase, but then lost strength. With almost no rain over the past week, residents have been dealing with humidity and heat. Cities such as Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur have seen overcast skies, but not the rainfall people were hoping for, which has added to the discomfort.
Monsoon may become active again from July 19
The weather department says the monsoon could become active across the state again from July 19, driven by a western disturbance and a cyclonic circulation. These weather systems are expected to bring heavy rain along with strong winds to several districts. The IMD had also flagged this shift in its weekly weather briefing on July 16.
Lightning risk prompts a safety advisory
Districts under the thunderstorm warning also face a risk of lightning strikes. The weather department has advised people to avoid standing in open fields, near trees or electric poles during rain and lightning, since this can be life threatening. People working in fields in rural areas have been asked to take extra precaution.
Relief in sight for farmers, but flooding a concern too
The IMD expects the monsoon to regain momentum across all of Madhya Pradesh in the second week of July. That would come as a relief for farmers, since rainfall at this stage is considered crucial for sowing and irrigating kharif crops. At the same time, districts under the heavy rain warning could see waterlogging and disruption to traffic. People have been advised to keep track of the latest updates from the weather department.
