The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said that several states in eastern and central India are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next two days as a depression moves over interior Odisha.
According to IMD, very heavy rainfall is likely in eastern Madhya Pradesh, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Gangetic West Bengal on Friday, while extremely heavy rainfall is likely at at isolated places in eastern Uttar Pradesh, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar on Saturday.
In addition, a fresh western disturbance will bring another intense spell of rainfall to northwest India between October 5 and 7, with the peak intensity forecast for October 6. Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi are likely to see widespread rain and thunderstorms on October 6.
The IMD has cautioned about the potential impact of extremely heavy rainfall in eastern Uttar Pradesh, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar on October 4. Very heavy rain is also expected in parts of eastern India on October 3 and in northwest India on October 6.
IMD defines heavy rain as rainfall between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm, very heavy rain as rainfall between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm, and extremely heavy rain as rainfall exceeding 204.4 mm.
During the past 24 hours, Odisha bore the brunt of the depression, recording extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places. Coastal Andhra Pradesh reported heavy to very heavy showers, while parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Konkan and Saurashtra-Kutch also experienced heavy rainfall. Gopalpur reported gusty winds up to 73 kmph as the deep depression crossed the coast near the town on October 2 evening.
In Delhi-NCR, weather conditions will remain calm for the next two days before the arrival of the western disturbance.
On Friday and Saturday, Delhi is expected to see partly cloudy skies, with maximum temperatures ranging between 33°C and 36°C and minimums between 24°C and 26°C. Temperatures will remain near to slightly above normal during this period, accompanied by light winds predominantly from the southeast and south.
The weather will change from October 5, with a generally cloudy sky and chances of light rain accompanied by thunderstorms in the evening or night. Winds are likely to strengthen, and temperatures will hover around 34°C to 36°C during the day and 24°C to 26°C at night.
On October 6, Delhi is forecast to receive widespread rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30 to 40 kmph, gusting to 50 kmph. Day temperatures are expected to drop to 31°C to 33°C, below normal by up to three degrees, while night temperatures will settle between 23°C and 25°C.
The IMD has advised caution in vulnerable regions, warning of possible waterlogging, localised flooding and traffic disruptions due to intense rain spells, particularly in eastern and northwest India over the coming days.