People sit at the seafront during rain showers in Mumbai. (Photo: AFP)

Monsoon on a roll: Thunderstorms, rain expected across India on Thursday

Delhi, Haryana and Punjab could also see thunderstorms and gusty winds as multiple weather systems keep monsoon activity going across India.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Heavy rain expected in northeast, east and south India on September 17
  • Thunderstorms with lightning forecast in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and adjoining areas
  • Low-pressure area over Saurashtra influencing active monsoon conditions

Rainfall is likely to remain active across several parts of India on Thursday, September 17, with heavy rain forecast at isolated places in parts of the east, northeast and south, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The IMD forecast also points to thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds in several states, including Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, where the weather is expected to turn stormy from Wednesday night till Thursday morning.

The weather comes as multiple weather systems continue to influence rainfall across the country.

Commuters make their way on a waterlogged road after heavy rain, in Rajkot. (Photo: PTI)

RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS INDIA

For Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh, the IMD has forecast isolated thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph on September 17.

Punjab is also expected to see similar conditions. The broader forecast indicates scattered rainfall over Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, while Punjab is likely to see fairly widespread rain on September 17.

East Rajasthan could see isolated thunderstorms with gusty winds of 30-40 kmph.

A bubble reflects people standing near a railing after rain. (Photo: PTI)

Similar thunderstorm and lightning activity is forecast over parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, West Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Rain is also expected to continue over Uttar Pradesh.

The IMD has forecast isolated rainfall over both East and West Uttar Pradesh on September 17, with the weather system affecting East Uttar Pradesh expected to persist through September 21.

HEAVY RAIN FROME EAST TO SOUTH

The most notable rainfall forecast for September 17 is concentrated across parts of the northeast, eastern India and the south.

A satellite image shows the weather systems over the Indian subcontinent. (Photo: IMD)

Heavy rain is likely at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Bihar, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, as well as Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are also likely to receive isolated heavy rainfall.

Gujarat is expected to see fairly widespread rainfall on September 17, while Saurashtra and Kutch could also experience fairly widespread rain.

Thunderstorms with lightning are likely over Gujarat, while parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and interior Karnataka could see thunderstorms with gusty winds.

Commuters wade during rain, in Mumbai, Maharashtra. (Photo: PTI)

WHY HAS THE MONSOON TURNED ACTIVE?

The IMD said a low-pressure area over Saurashtra and the adjoining northeast Arabian Sea persisted on September 16, with its associated circulation extending up to 5.8 km above sea level.

The monsoon trough is also passing through this system and extending eastwards towards the northeast Bay of Bengal.

While the country faces rains and storms, another spell is already brewing.

An image of the low pressure area brewing over India as seen from space. (Photo: X/@sen)

Another weather system is also taking shape as a circulation over north Thailand is expected to emerge over the north Andaman Sea around September 18, with a new low-pressure area likely to form around September 19.

This means rainfall activity is likely to remain spread across different parts of the country even as the monsoon season moves towards its withdrawal phase.

For now, it seems that the monsoon is expected to remain active in the coming days before its inevitable end.

- Ends