Weather Update: A low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal is bringing good rainfall to northwestern states. The Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rainfall across 15 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Consequently, there is a likelihood of heavy rain and strong winds in several states over the next 14 to 15 hours. Meanwhile, the weather in Delhi-NCR is also expected to change on Sunday. Continuous rainfall in hilly states has raised concerns about landslides; Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir are likely to receive significant rainfall in the next 24 hours. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) states that the monsoon remains active over the northwestern part of the country, raising the possibility that rainfall quotas will be met.
Heavy Rain Alert for These 15 States
Adverse weather conditions are affecting several states across North, Central, and East India. The IMD has issued an alert for 15 states for Sunday, August 9. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at isolated places in the Western Himalayan region, East Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh this week.
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan
Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha
Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra
Weather Change in Delhi-NCR
The weather in Delhi-NCR is likely to shift again over the next 24 hours, with forecasts predicting heavy rain and thunderstorms in the capital. According to the Meteorological Department, the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 34°C, while the minimum is likely to be around 24°C. Delhi has received substantial rainfall over the past two days; in fact, the city has recorded its highest August rainfall since 2011. Persistent rain has led to waterlogging in several areas of the capital. Following a week of heavy downpours, Delhi is rapidly approaching its seasonal rainfall quota, having recorded 225.7 mm of rain so far. Heavy Rain in UP and Bihar
Rivers in Uttar Pradesh are swelling due to continuous rainfall. Heavy downpours and strong winds reaching speeds of 50–55 km/h are forecast for several districts due to a weather system over southwestern UP. According to the Meteorological Department, rain alerts have been issued for Meerut, Hapur, Noida, Mathura, Agra, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Jhansi, Etawah, Firozabad, Kanpur, Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Ghazipur, Ballia, Banda, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, and Deoria. Rain is also likely in Bihar districts including Gaya, East and West Champaran, Rohtas, Nawada, Banka, Lakhisarai, Munger, Nalanda, Buxar, Siwan, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Purnia, Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar, Begusarai, Saharsa, and Supaul.
Amarnath Yatra Suspended in Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu & Kashmir has been experiencing continuous rainfall for the past three days. The Amarnath Yatra has been temporarily suspended due to landslides along the pilgrimage route. Traffic has been disrupted on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes, and repair work has commenced. According to the Meteorological Department, the Yatra will remain suspended from August 9 until further orders. Meanwhile, the department has predicted heavy rain and thunderstorms for Sunday in Poonch, Mirpur, Kulgam, Jammu, Kathua, Shopian, Doda, Rajouri, Kishtwar, and Anantnag, alongside a drop in temperatures.
Alerts for Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh
The Meteorological Department has also issued alerts for Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh for Sunday. In Uttarakhand, six rivers, including the Ganga, are flowing above danger levels. Due to the risk of landslides, people have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel in hilly areas. An alert has been issued for August 9 for Bageshwar, Rudraprayag, Nainital, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Pithoragarh, Almora, and Pauri Garhwal. Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh, there is a likelihood of moderate to heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours in the districts of Shimla, Mandi, Chamba, Kullu, Solan, Sirmaur, and Kangra. Wind speeds are also expected to increase in these areas. The coming few days are crucial regarding rainfall for both these hill states.
Reasons for the Heavy Rainfall
According to Indian meteorologists, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the coastal regions of West Bengal and the adjoining north-west Bay of Bengal. Simultaneously, a cyclonic circulation in the upper atmosphere is active over south-west Uttar Pradesh and surrounding areas. The combined effect of these two weather systems has led to a significant increase in rainfall activity across several states, including those in East and Central India. This is the reason why continuous rainfall has been occurring for the past three days; significant rainfall is also expected during the second week of August.
