Rain and thunderstorms likely over central, east, south India till May 13: IMD

Heatwave in India: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a wet spell accompanied with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds over central, east and south peninsular India till May 13. 

While heatwave conditions continued in certain parts of the country, very heavy rainfall occurred too. Temperatures soared in some parts of West Rajasthan, with Phalodi witnessing the highest maximum temperature of 46 degree Celsius. However, very heavy rainfall was witnessed at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Kerala and heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places over Rayalaseema, Gangetic West Bengal and South Interior Karnataka. Some places in Madhya Pradesh and certain isolated places in Himachal Pradesh, Vidarbha and Jharkhand witnessed hailstorm activity too. 

RAINFALL PREDICTION

Due to a cyclonic circulation over north Bihar and another over northeast Assam, widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning and squally winds are expected over West Bengal and Sikkim during May 10 to 12, while scattered rainfall with thunderstorm and gusty winds are expected over Bihar, Jharkhand during May 10-12, and over Odisha during May 10-14.

Heavy rainfall is also likely over Gangetic West Bengal on May 11 and over Odisha during
May 10-12.

Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura are expected to witness fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall, along with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds during the next seven days. 

On May 10, Assam and Meghalaya are expected to witness isolated heavy rainfall. 

Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and Chhattisgarh during May 10-14 period,  Madhya Pradesh during May 9-11 are expected to witness scattered rainfall and thunderstorm due to a cyclonic circulation over central Madhya Pradesh and an east-west trough from northwest Rajasthan to south Assam.

Madhya Pradesh is likely to experience thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds during May 10-13. Meanwhile, hailstorm activity is also expected in Madhya Pradesh during May 10-13, over Vidarbha on May 12 and 13, over Madhya Maharashtra on May 11 and 12, and over Marathwada on May 12. 

Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand regions are expected to witness scattered to fairly widespread rainfall activity with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds on May 10-13 period due to a cyclonic circulation over Iran and a cyclonic circulation over northwest Rajasthan.

Hailstorm activity is also expected at isolated places over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad on May 10 and 11, over Himachal Pradesh on May 10, over Uttarakhand on May 10-13. Isolated heavy rainfall is also expected in the region on May 12. 

Haryana-Chandigarh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan regions are also expected to witness isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds on May 10-13.