As per India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) weather bulletin released on May 24 that the country is witnessing a diverse set of weather phenomena — from extremely heavy rainfall in southern and western regions to heatwave conditions in the north and northwest.
IMD said the well marked low-pressure area over east central Arabian Sea off south Konkan coast concentrated into a depression and lay centered at over east central Arabian sea and adjoining south Konkan coast at 5:30 am on Saturday, about 40 km northwest of Ratnagiri.
It is likely to move nearly eastwards and cross Konkan coast between Ratnagiri and Dapoli as a depression during the forenoon of Saturday, May 24, IMD said in its forecast.
Top 10 weather updates from IMD bulletin
• Monsoon hits Kerala
– The southwest monsoon hit Kerala on Saturday, marking its earliest arrival over the Indian mainland since 2009 when it reached the southern state on May 23, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
– Normally, the southwest monsoon makes its onset over Kerala by June 1 and covers the entire country by July 8. It starts retreating from northwest India around September 17 and withdraws completely by October 15.
– The monsoon had set in over the southern state on May 30 last year; June 8 in 2023; May 29 in 2022; June 3 in 2021; June 1 in 2020; June 8 in 2019; and May 29 in 2018, IMD data showed.
• Delhi and Northwest India: Heatwave, thunderstorms
– Delhi and surrounding areas like Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan are experiencing above-normal temperatures, IMD said. A rise of 2–4 degrees Celsius in maximum temperatures is likely over Northwest India in the next two days, followed by stabilisation.
– Dust storms (40–50 kmph) are expected over West Rajasthan until May 25, as per the IMD.
– IMD has also predicted thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and gusty winds (40-50 kmph) at isolated places over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh etc., between May 24 and 29.
– Isolated hailstorms and heavy rainfall are possible in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand between May 24 and May 29.
• Maharashtra and Goa: Red alert for heavy rain
– Konkan & Goa and Madhya Maharashtra are likely to receive widespread rain from May 24 to May 29, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall especially on May 24 and May 25.
– Thunderstorms and gusty winds up to 50 kmph are also expected.
• South Peninsular India: Torrential rains and thunderstorm
– Kerala, Karnataka (especially coastal Karnataka), and Mahe are set for a wet week with widespread rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds (40–50 kmph)
– Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is forecast over Kerala (24th–26th) and Coastal Karnataka (May 24–27)
– Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Rayalaseema, and Andhra Pradesh will also see moderate rainfall and thunderstorms, with localized heavy falls
• Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
– Thundersqualls (50–60 kmph, gusting up to 70 kmph) are predicted over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and Rayalaseema on May 26 and May 27.
– Coastal Andhra and Telangana may also face heavy rainfall on May 27.
• Gujarat: Thunderstorms, isolated heavy rain
– Saurashtra and Kutch may see thundersqualls with wind speeds reaching 70 kmph on May 24, IMD said.
– Scattered heavy rain is expected over Gujarat from May 24 to May 27.
• Northeast India: Active Monsoon-like condition
– States like Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura are in for widespread rainfall accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (up to 50 kmph).
– These conditions will persist through May 27, with isolated heavy falls in several areas
• Central and eastern India
– Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, Odisha, Bihar, and West Bengal are likely to see scattered thunderstorms and light to moderate rain. Thundersqualls (50–70 kmph) likely over Madhya Pradesh and Bihar May 24 and May 25.
– Isolated heavy rainfall is also expected over Odisha and Bihar during this period.
• Heatwave update: Rajasthan scorches at 48 deg C
– Jaisalmer in West Rajasthan recorded India’s highest maximum temperature of 48.0 degrees Celsius on May 23, IMD said, adding that severe heatwave conditions prevailed in parts of West Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir regions.
• Temperature deviations
– Minimum temperatures are significantly above normal (>5°C) in parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Assam, Bihar, and Himachal Pradesh, IMD said.
– Despite the rain in some regions, nighttime temperatures remain warmer than usual, intensifying discomfort, it added.