Monsoon intensifies; heavy rain lashes Mumbai, Kashmir, IMD issues alerts across states

Active monsoon conditions are expected to persist over central and north India, with heavy to very heavy rainfall forecast in several states over the next few days

Heavy rain lashed Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra on Wednesday morning as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast continued showers and intermittent thunderstorms across the city and adjoining suburbs.

The weather agency said an active monsoon phase is likely to continue over central India this week due to a low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal.

The IMD has issued orange alerts for several states, including parts of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Kerala and Karnataka, warning of heavy rainfall.

The monsoon has further advanced into additional parts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, the IMD said.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over Himachal Pradesh from July 2 to 4, Uttarakhand through July 2, West Uttar Pradesh on July 1, Madhya Pradesh through July 4, Chhattisgarh on July 1, Odisha through July 6, Konkan and Goa through July 1 and again from July 5 to 6, Gujarat on July 2 and July 5-6, and parts of Karnataka and Kerala through July 2.

In northwest India, the IMD forecast a drop of 3-5 degrees Celsius in maximum temperatures by July 2 as monsoon rains spread across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Delhi remained under a yellow alert on Wednesday, with light rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of up to 60 kmph expected.

In Jammu and Kashmir, heavy rain triggered flash floods in Doda after cloudbursts, disrupting normal life and blocking several roads. The IMD has also forecast isolated heavy rainfall over Jammu and Kashmir, including Ladakh, from July 2 to 4.

A day after heavy rain lashed Dehradun, the IMD issued fresh rainfall alerts for Uttarakhand. Orange alerts remain in place for Nainital, Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal and Udham Singh Nagar, while Rudraprayag is expected to receive heavy rain through July 4.

Despite the current wet spell, India recorded nearly 40% below-normal rainfall in June, making it the fifth-driest June since 1901 and the driest since 2014. IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said July rainfall is also expected to remain below normal, at less than 94% of the long-term average, partly due to developing El Niño conditions over the Pacific Ocean.