Delhi-NCR is likely to see thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds and isolated hailstorms on Thursday as Cyclone Arnab moves inland after making landfall along the Andhra Pradesh-Yanam coast, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The forecast also covers Haryana and Chandigarh, while several states have been warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall.
The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, east Madhya Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha on Thursday. Odisha has issued a yellow warning for several districts, covering the possibility of heavy rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds.
For Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh, the weather agency has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by hailstorms. Lightning and gusty winds are also likely across the region. The wider northern forecast includes thunderstorms and strong winds in west Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, while isolated thunderstorms and lightning are possible in Himachal Pradesh. Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and adjoining areas may also receive rain and thunderstorms.
The forecast has implications for road travel, outdoor activity and exposed urban infrastructure in the National Capital Region. The IMD has warned of thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds across parts of eastern, central, northern and southern India. In several areas, winds may reach 30-40 kmph, with gusts up to 50 kmph.
Odisha’s yellow warning covers Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack. Thunderstorms with gusty surface winds of 30-40 kmph, reaching 50 kmph in gusts, have been forecast in the warned districts.
Chhattisgarh may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall also forecast, along with possible thundersqualls. East Madhya Pradesh is under a similar heavy-rain warning, while Vidarbha may receive heavy rain. Bihar and Jharkhand are also expected to see heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds, with isolated thundersqualls possible in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
Rain and storm activity are also expected in other regions. Coastal Andhra Pradesh may receive heavy rain, while Rayalaseema, Telangana, interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala may experience thunderstorms and strong winds. Assam and Meghalaya are likely to see thunderstorms and lightning, with isolated heavy rain possible across parts of the Northeast. Konkan and Goa may also receive thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds.
The IMD said rainfall is expected to continue across parts of eastern, central, northern and southern India into early November. Rainfall activity is also likely to persist over parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, the Northeast and the west coast in the following days.
