Heavy rain, thunderstorms across these Indian states; 5-day alert for Northeast and East to impact travel plans

Travellers in India are advised to remain vigilant due to widespread rains, thunderstorms, and high winds that have been predicted to cause disruption of transportation in several parts of the country as per the All India Weather Summary & Forecast Bulletin released on May 2, 07:53 PM. There is likely to be heavy precipitation over the next five days over Northeastern and Eastern regions of India, while the South too may witness prolonged showers, which pose a threat to land, railway, and air travel.The northeastern region is expected to bear the brunt of the current weather system, with fairly widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds over the next five days. States including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, especially in the initial phase of this period. Given the terrain, these conditions could lead to flooding, poor visibility, and landslides, potentially disrupting road travel.West Bengal and Sikkim, too, are placed under a multi-day rainfall warning, with thunderstorms and high winds expected to gain momentum from May 4 to May 5. Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha will experience occasional rain and thunderstorms for the coming seven days. Thunder squalls with winds up to 70 kilometers per hour are likely to occur in some patches, thereby posing a threat of flight delays, train cancellations, and highway closures.Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan are predicted to experience sporadic showers with thunderstorms and windy conditions till the first week of May. Hail storms and dust storms may also occur in some isolated patches, particularly on May 4 and 5. Such weather might pose problems for those planning tours to hilly destinations, especially during seasons when landslides and road obstructions are common occurrences.The central region of India, which includes Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, would witness isolated thunderstorms with strong winds, whereas the south peninsula of India is predicted to have continuous rains for some time. The states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh would be experiencing scattered to widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms till at least May 6. There would be heavy rains in Kerala and Tamil Nadu till May 8, followed by heavy showers in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on May 5 or May 6.Furthermore, a heatwave condition could be prevailing in the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh initially, whereas there could be hot and humid weather in Tamil Nadu and its coastal area.It is also anticipated that marine conditions will continue to be difficult with strong winds over the Bay of Bengal, leading to rough seas around the coastal regions of Odisha, West Bengal, and neighboring Andhra Pradesh. It has also been advised against fishing activities at the sea during the duration of this particular phenomenon.Some of the impacts associated with this kind of weather include flooding of urban areas, water logging, heavy traffic, and possible infrastructural damage. Hilly regions can anticipate incidents like landslides and mudslides.Travellers should keep themselves informed about weather conditions and allow for enough buffer time for their journeys. Also, travellers looking at visiting the Northeastern, Eastern, or Western Himalayan parts of India may have to adjust their plans accordingly in the next few days.