Overview

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a forecast of heavy rainfall across several states, attributing the conditions to a well-marked low-pressure area persisting over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining areas of north coastal Odisha and the northwest Bay of Bengal, as reported by ANI. The system is expected to bring significant precipitation to eastern and central India over the coming days, with the most intense rainfall predicted for Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Regional Forecasts

According to the IMD, Gangetic West Bengal is likely to witness light to moderate rainfall at most places, with heavy rainfall at isolated places on August 31 and September 1. Odisha, however, faces a more severe outlook: the IMD has warned of isolated extremely heavy rainfall on August 31, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls. On September 1, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places, while heavy rainfall is expected during September 2-3. Business Today reported that Odisha and Chhattisgarh are under the sharpest rainfall threat, with Chhattisgarh also facing isolated extremely heavy rainfall on August 31 and September 1.

Jharkhand and Bihar are both expected to experience light to moderate rainfall at most places, with heavy rainfall at isolated places on August 31 and September 1-2. Chhattisgarh is likely to see heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls on August 31, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places on September 1 and heavy rainfall expected during September 2-4. East Madhya Pradesh is forecast to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places during August 31-September 3, followed by heavy rainfall at isolated places from September 4-6. East Uttar Pradesh is likely to witness heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places on August 31, with heavy rainfall at isolated places expected during September 1-6.

Extended Impact

Business Today reported that the IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and East Uttar Pradesh during August 31-September 1. The publication also noted that East Madhya Pradesh is expected to remain vulnerable to heavy to very heavy rainfall during August 31-September 5. The weather system is expected to bring fairly widespread to widespread rainfall to parts of northeast India, with Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura likely to see such conditions during August 31-September 6. The Konkan and Goa region is also expected to receive fairly widespread to widespread rainfall throughout this period, while several southern states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, are likely to receive isolated to scattered rainfall.

The IMD has also forecast thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds in several areas, including Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, as reported by Business Today. For Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, the department expects isolated to scattered rainfall during August 31-September 2, followed by fairly widespread to widespread rainfall during September 3-5. Heavy rainfall is forecast at isolated places over these regions during the period.

Warnings and Advisories

The IMD has issued wind warnings, stating that squally winds with speeds of 45-55 kmph gusting up to 65 kmph are likely over the North Bay of Bengal and along and off the Odisha-West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts during the next 24 hours. Rough to very rough sea conditions are expected to prevail over the North Bay of Bengal during this period. The weather department has advised fishermen not to venture into the North Bay of Bengal and along and off the Odisha-West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts during the next 24 hours.

Business Today reported that the IMD has warned that heavy rain accompanied by strong winds could damage standing crops, plantations and horticulture, while vulnerable structures, kutcha houses, walls and roads could face localised damage. IMD data cited by the publication showed that Kalka in Haryana recorded 21 cm of rain between 8:30 am on August 30 and 8:30 am on August 31, underscoring the intensity of recent rainfall in the region.