Hill states likely to witness thunderstorm in next 48 hrs

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that hill-states are likely to witness thunderstorm accompanied with squall, over the next 48 hours.

Their subsequent effect on plains in north India will also be witnessed.

Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are likely to witness thunderstorm, while parts of Rajasthan might see a dust storm.

The upcoming thunderstorm is the result of a new western disturbance, said the IMD on Saturday.

Thunderstorms accompanied with squall with wind speed reaching 50-70 kilometres per hour are very likely at isolated places over east Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.

Thunderstorms accompanied with gusty winds are also very likely at isolated places over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Telangana, north coastal Andhra Pradesh, south interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Kerala.

Heat wave conditions are very likely at one or two pockets over Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh and Vidharbha.

Several states in north India have witnessed erratic weather pattern over the fortnight. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have alone witnessed over 120 deaths due to thunderstorm and violent winds in the first week of May.