A new period of pre-monsoon activity will sweep through parts of India this week, with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds forecast for northwest India on May 5-6, followed by another round on May 10-11, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
In its latest forecast, the Met Office said isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall or snowfall with thundershowers, lightning and gusty winds are likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Punjab, West Uttar Pradesh, temporary relief from high temperatures in May to West Uttar Pradesh. Similar weather activity is expected to extend to Uttarakhand during 5-8 May, eastern Uttar Pradesh on 6-7 May and parts of Rajasthan during the week, with western Rajasthan likely to be affected on 5 May and eastern Rajasthan during 5-9 May.
The weather system is expected to bring occasional relief from high temperatures. A second more intense period of rainy weather is expected on May 10-11. During this period, isolated to scattered rainfall or snowfall is likely over Western Himalayan region and adjoining plains including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. Thunderstorms with gusty winds of 40-50 km/h, with gusts up to 60 km/h are expected in some areas.
However, a gradual rise in daily temperatures of 4-6°C is expected in the entire region until May 9.
In contrast, the eastern and northeastern parts of the country are preparing for more intense activity. Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall along with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds are likely over sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Northeast during May 5-6. Heavy rainfall is also expected in some pockets. Further, southern states are also likely to receive rainfall.
“Isolated to scattered thundershowers, lightning and gusty winds (40-60 kmph) and isolated heavy rain likely over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karajkal for 6-7 days,” said Akhil Srivastava, scientist, IMD.
Despite rain systems, heat remains a problem in parts of central and peninsular India. Maximum temperatures were in the range of 40°C and above over most parts of Vidarbha, some parts of Telangana, isolated pockets of Chhattisgarh, Marathawada; in the remaining parts of the country they ranged from 36–40 °C except some parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, Punjab, Haryana, the whole of North East India and the Western Himalayan region where they are below 36 °C. The highest maximum temperature of 44.2 °C was reported at Brahmagiri (Vidarbha).
Similar warming trends are forecast for Northeast India and Maharashtra later this week.
Heat wave is likely to develop in isolated pockets of West Rajasthan between May 9 and 11. Meanwhile, hot and humid conditions are expected over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Konkan and Goa and parts of Gujarat on selected days during the forecast period. The developing weather pattern underscores a typical pre-monsoon transition characterized by alternating thunderstorms and thunderstorms. increasing heat across regions.
