Deep depression to bring heavy rain across central and eastern India

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and squally winds across large parts of east, central and south India from September 24, as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal moves inland. The system crossed the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast near Kalingapatnam on the night of September 23.

The IMD forecast extremely heavy rain in north coastal Andhra Pradesh, south interior Odisha and south Chhattisgarh on September 24, with widespread rainfall likely over Odisha, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal and Bihar from September 24-26. Telangana is expected to receive widespread rain from September 24-29. Thundersqualls with wind speeds of 50-60 kmph, gusting to 70 kmph, are likely over Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Telangana.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon has further withdrawn from most of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, the entire Delhi region and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. Livemint reports cumulative rainfall from June 1 to September 22 was 706.9 mm, 15% below the normal of 832.4 mm. Hindustan Times notes the withdrawal from West Uttar Pradesh began on September 23, four days earlier than the normal date of September 27.