Widespread Thunderstorms, Gusty Winds Expected Over Northwest India as Monsoon Advances: IMD
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of widespread thunderstorms, strong winds, and rainfall across several parts of northwest India over the next four to five days, as the southwest monsoon continues its advance through much of the country.
In its latest bulletin issued Thursday evening, the IMD said that these weather conditions are being driven by a series of western disturbances—weather systems that typically bring rain to northwest India during winter—which are still active unusually late into the summer.
According to the IMD, one such western disturbance has developed into an upper air cyclonic circulation over Jammu and Kashmir, while similar systems have formed over north Afghanistan, south Punjab, west Rajasthan, and parts of central Uttar Pradesh.
As a result, the IMD predicts scattered to fairly widespread rain and thunderstorms—accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph—across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi.
Some areas, particularly Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi, could see wind gusts of up to 70 kmph on May 30. Similar conditions are expected in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and East Uttar Pradesh on May 31 and June 1.
Isolated heavy rainfall is also forecast in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on May 30 and 31, Himachal Pradesh on May 31 and June 1, and Uttarakhand from May 30 to June 2. Dust storms may occur in isolated parts of west Rajasthan on May 30.
This May has been particularly unusual, according to meteorologists, due to the prolonged activity of western disturbances, which usually subside by March. These disturbances, which originate in the Mediterranean, have lingered over northwest India far beyond their typical season.
"The western disturbances are persisting unusually long this year," said IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra earlier this week. "The monsoon has not yet reached northwest India, so we can't say for sure how it will interact with these systems. But their persistence is clearly triggering intense thunderstorm activity."
Typically, the southwest monsoon reaches Delhi around June 27. While it has not yet moved into northwest India, it has progressed further into Chhattisgarh, Odisha, parts of north Bay of Bengal, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim as of Thursday. The IMD noted that conditions are favourable for further monsoon advance into West Bengal and Bihar within the next couple of days.
Meanwhile, thunderstorms with gusty winds were also reported on Wednesday in a wide range of states including Tamil Nadu, Assam, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Mizoram, and parts of Maharashtra and Goa.
Experts note that this prolonged western disturbance activity could complicate or delay the full onset of the monsoon in some areas.