IMD warns of heavy rain in north and central India until August 25

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy to very heavy rainfall alert for several states in north and central India, effective from today until August 24, and in some areas until August 25. A low-pressure area over north Jharkhand and adjoining regions, which weakened from a depression on August 19, is driving the rain. It is expected to move west-northwest across Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh over the next 24 hours. Another system is likely to form over the north Bay of Bengal near the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast, which may intensify rainfall further.

Chhattisgarh, eastern Madhya Pradesh and western Uttar Pradesh may receive very heavy rain on August 20, while eastern Uttar Pradesh, western Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and parts of northeast India are also likely to get heavy showers. Delhi-NCR is expected to have limited rain on August 20, with cloudy skies and thundershowers at isolated places. Aaj Tak reports that wind speeds of 40-60 km/h are likely in several affected regions, including Uttarakhand, Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir.

The monsoon trough extends from Firozpur through Karnal and Hardoi to the low-pressure area, and further to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Widespread rain is expected over Konkan, Goa and coastal Karnataka until August 25. Aaj Tak notes that central India will remain the main zone of monsoon activity in the coming days, with heavy rain likely across Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh.