Thunderstorms to continue in northern India, heavy rain to stay over the east: IMD

Vidarbha seems set to return to heatwave conditions after a brief respite.

NEW DELHI: Northern India is likely to continue facing severe weather conditions over the coming few days. A weather warning bulletin issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorms with strong winds for Punjab, Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan. The eastern and northeastern parts of the country are slated for heavy rain.

The IMD has warned of thunderstorms accompanied by squalls in parts of Uttarakhand, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim and Sub­Himalayan West Bengal. It also predicted thunderstorms with gusty winds in parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Gangetic West Bengal. Western Rajasthan is likely to continue with its dose of dust storms, while heavy rain has been deemed 'very likely' in parts of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura.

Sunday seems set to bring heatwave conditions back to Vidarbha, after a few days of respite. However, the northernmost pocket of the country - Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand - could face thunderstorms with squalls and even hail on Sunday. Assam and Meghalaya have been slotted for more rain.

The IMD has also predicted Monday blues for most of the north. "Thunderstorm accompanied with squall very likely at isolated places over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh, SubHimalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, South Interior Karnataka and Tamilnadu," read the Met Department's bulletin. 

"Dust storm/ Thunderstorm very likely at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Heat wave conditions likely at one or two pockets over Vidarbha," the forecast added.

Parts of northern India  have been reeling under the effect of sudden and heavy bursts of rain combined with very windy conditions. The combination of these factors have claimed the lives of over a 100 people and injured over 200, with the majority of cases in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.