Monsoon 'likely' to reach Kerala today; Delhi under yellow alert for storms

IMD forecasts heavy rain along the west coast and in the Northeast, while Delhi may see thunderstorms, lightning, and winds gusting up to 60 kmph on June 4

The southwest monsoon is likely to advance into Kerala on Thursday, marking the onset of India's four-month rainy season, while thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds are expected across several parts of the country, including Delhi, which is under a yellow alert.

 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said conditions remain favourable for the monsoon's further advance into more parts of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and peninsular India during the next 24 hours.

Delhi under yellow alert

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Delhi, warning of thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds during the day.

 

The national capital is expected to witness cloudy skies. A spell of light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and winds of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, is likely during the forenoon and afternoon. Another spell of very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is expected during the night.

 

 

Maximum temperatures are likely to remain between 37 and 39 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures may hover around 27 to 29 degrees Celsius.

Monsoon likely to arrive in Kerala today

The southwest monsoon is likely to make its onset over Kerala on June 4 after a brief delay, bringing widespread rainfall to parts of the southern peninsula.

 

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Kerala.

Heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places over Konkan and Goa, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

 

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are expected over Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, with wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph at isolated places.

Heavy rain warning for Northeast India

Fairly widespread rainfall is likely over the northeastern states, with heavy rainfall expected over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya.

 

Heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places over parts of West Bengal and Sikkim, while Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura may witness moderate rainfall activity accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. 

Thunderstorms and strong winds across several states

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are likely over large parts of the country, including Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

 

Wind speeds of 50-60 kmph may occur at isolated places over Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Vidarbha, parts of Karnataka and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

 

The weather office has also forecast hailstorms at isolated places over Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand. A dust storm is likely over parts of western Rajasthan.

Heatwave conditions persist in some places

Despite increasing rainfall activity across several regions, heatwave conditions are likely to continue in some areas of Bihar.

 

Hot and humid weather is expected over Odisha and parts of the Northeast, including Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.