Heavy rainfall likely to return to North India from Tuesday: IMD

“Increase in rainfall activity over northwest India from 25 July is expected,” India Meteorological India (IMD) said on Sunday. “Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.”

The northwest India has recorded 40% more precipitation from 1 June to 23 July at 318.8 mm. However, only east Uttar Pradesh is in IMD’s rainfall deficient category as it has received 29% below-normal rainfall during the same period.

Light to moderate fairly widespread showers with isolated heavy rainfall may occur over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and east Rajasthan till Thursday; over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh from Tuesday to Thursday; in west Rajasthan on Tuesday and Wednesday and in Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad on Wednesday and Thursday. This is because the active monsoon trough is running to the south of its normal position and the western end may shift gradually northwards during the next two-three days.

The met office had issued a red alert for Gujarat and the central Maharashtra on Sunday. From Monday to Thursday, the central Maharashtra has been placed on orange alert as rainfall in seven districts including Palghar, Thane and Raigad are predicted to be between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm.

Amid this forecast, IMD sees localized flooding and hence it advised to avoid areas prone to water logging and to stay away from vulnerable structures.

Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Rayalaseema, Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe are also expected to get heavy showers on Tuesday.

East and northeast India, which is still 23% rainfall deficit during 1 June to 23 July, is unlikely to see significant rain in the coming five days, especially in the eastern parts of the country, India Meteorological India said.

Updated: 23 Jul 2023, 10:55 PM IST