IMD includes PoK in its forecast, predicts thunderstorm in Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday predicted thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph) at isolated places over Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the next 24 hours.

A thunderstorm accompanied by lightning, hail and gusty winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph) is also likely at isolated places in Chhattisgarh. The IMD has predicted thunderstorm with lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph) at isolated places over Gangetic West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

The states and UTs of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, East Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura, Assam & Meghalaya, Telangana, Rayalaseema, Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, Lakshadweep and Kerala & Mahe will also witness thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph). 

A thunderstorm accompanied by lightning at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada is also expected.

The convergence of moist southwesterly winds in the lower levels aided by favourable upper-level wind pattern is likely to cause scattered to fairly widespread rain/thundershowers over Northeast India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam & Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura) and Eastern states (West Bengal, Sikkim, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar) during next five days.

Thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and occasional thundersqualls (wind speed 50-60 kmph and more), hailstorms at isolated places are also likely over these regions during this period with peak activities on May 12-13 when heavy rainfall also likely at isolated places over West Bengal and Sikkim and adjoining North-Eastern states.

The Western Disturbance is likely to move further northeastwards and interact with the low-level circulation and easterlies over northwestern parts of India causing increase of moisture incursion in the region. This feature likely to cause isolated to scattered rain/thundershowers over Western Himalayan Region and plains of northwest India mainly during May 10-13 with peak activities on May 10. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) at isolated places also likely over these regions during the same period.

Due to trough/wind discontinuity, isolated to scattered rain/thundershowers very likely over central & south peninsular India during the next 5 days. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) at isolated places also likely over these regions during the same period. Heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places over Kerala and Mahe and south Karnataka on May 9, 12, 13.

The maximum temperatures are likely to remain between 41-44°C over some parts of Rajasthan, North Gujarat state, north Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Telangana, and North Interior Karnataka during next 1-2 days and decrease thereafter for subsequent 2 days due to likely rain/thunderstorm activities over these areas.