The India Meteorological Department has warned of thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds over northwest India between May 11 and 14, and heavy rain along the southern coasts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal for the next seven days.
The alerts, issued on Saturday, come as a fresh western disturbance approaches the hills and a low-pressure area is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal around May 11.
In northwest India, the incoming western disturbance is expected to bring scattered rainfall and snowfall along with thunderstorms and gusty winds of 40-60 kmph over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from May 11 to 14.
Hailstorms are also likely over Jammu & Kashmir on May 11 and 12, and over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on May 12 and 13. The wet spell is expected to extend to the plains as well, with rain likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh between May 12 and 14.
In the south, IMD warned of isolated heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala through the week, with very heavy rain expected on May 14 and 15. The department has also cautioned fishermen against venturing into the sea during this period.
Elsewhere, thundersqualls with winds gusting up to 70 kmph are expected over Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and Bihar through the week. Isolated hailstorms were forecast over Bihar and Jharkhand on Saturday.
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While storms are expected across the north and east, heatwave conditions will continue to grip the west. IMD warned of heatwaves over West Rajasthan for the next seven days, and over Gujarat through May 14.
The highest temperature recorded in the past 24 hours was 44.8°C at Phalodi in Rajasthan, IMD said. IMD further warned that temperatures across northwest and central India are expected to rise further by 3-5°C over the coming week.
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