The weather department has warned that gusty winds of up to 70 kmph, lightning and heavy rainfall could disrupt transport, damage power infrastructure and affect standing crops in several parts of the country.
Heavy rain warnings have also been issued for Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and Gangetic West Bengal, while Uttarakhand is expected to come under a heavy rainfall alert from July 15 before the wet spell extends to parts of the western Himalayas later this week.
As torrential monsoon showers lashed North-East Delhi and adjoining Ghaziabad on Thursday, pushing several parts of the capital into the heavy rainfall category, the downpour also delivered the cleanest air Delhi has breathed this year.
Moderate to heavy rain brought Delhi much-needed respite from the excruciating heat. Najafgarh recorded the highest rainfall, receiving 84 mm between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm, according to the evening bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The Mumbai Orange Alert comes after relentless rain inundated several neighbourhoods, affected local train and flight services, and prompted authorities to suspend classes in schools and colleges as heavy showers are forecast to continue.
A powerful nor’wester swept across Kolkata and several parts of West Bengal on Wednesday evening, following an alert issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
If the monsoon hits on the predicted date, it will be a day before the earlier prediction of the weather department to onset on May 27.
For the third consecutive day, Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR), including Noida and Ghaziabad, were battered by intense dust storms, rain, and strong winds, leading to extensive damage and widespread disruption.
Delhi on Friday evening witnessed light drizzles accompanied by strong winds, with one of the stations, Ayanagar, recording the maximum temperature of 44 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
With the India Meteorological Department forecasting an early onset of the southwest monsoon, farmers across Tamil Nadu have begun preparations for the Kuruvai paddy cultivation season.
