IMD forecasts thunderstorm, squall in several north Indian states tomorrow

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued an alert forecasting that several parts of north India could witness thunderstorm and squall on Tuesday with winds gusting up to 50-70 kilometers per hour.

The IMD issued an amber-coloured alert, indicating severe weather, for parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, western Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and West Bengal. Several parts of these states could witness thunderstorm and squall with winds gusting up to 50-70 kilometers per hour, the alert said.

There are four types of colour codes signifying the level of caution -- green (which means no action), yellow (situation to be watched), amber (government agencies to be prepared for severe weather) and red (action needed by the agencies).

A western disturbance runs over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, while there is a cyclonic circulation over northeast Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, and this will bring light to moderate rainfall in north India, Mritunjay Mohapatra, Additional Director General, IMD, said.

He, however, added “The intensity is expected to be less in comparison to the thunderstorm that occurred on May 2.”

A deadly thunderstorm with winds gusting up to 100 kmph had hit Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh on May 2, killing over 100 people.

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“Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds very likely at isolated places over Punjab, Assam , Meghalaya , Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, west Madhya Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan, coastal and south interior Karnataka and Kerela,” the IMD said in its alert on Monday.

A yellow coloured alert has been issued for these states.

 “Thunderstorm accompanied with squall (wind speed reaching 50-70 kmph) are very likely at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh and sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim,” it said. Heat wave conditions were also likely at one or two pockets over Vidarbha in Maharashtra, the alert said.