Photo by Rajarshi Mitra, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
The India Meteorological Department has issued an alert for heavy rain and winds gusting up to 85 kmph across 12 states on Sunday, August 2, 2026, citing rapid weather changes expected over North, East and Central India.
The 12 states under alert are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Wind speeds are expected to reach 70-75 kmph in Uttar Pradesh, 65-70 kmph in Bihar, 60-70 kmph in Delhi-NCR, West Bengal and Punjab, and 50-60 kmph in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
A yellow alert has been issued for Bihar, with heavy showers forecast across Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Purnia and Bhagalpur.
Uttar Pradesh districts including Meerut, Prayagraj, Agra, Jhansi, Bareilly and Mirzapur are likely to see heavy to very heavy rain with thunderstorms, while Delhi is expected to stay cloudy with light to moderate rain or drizzle.
The IMD said the alert stems from fast-moving thunderstorm activity common during the monsoon, with lightning and gusty winds expected at isolated locations across the affected region.
Gusty winds and lightning are typically associated with the kind of fast-moving thunderstorm cells the IMD flagged for the day, which can cause localised damage to power lines, trees and temporary structures.
Residents in the affected states have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel during peak thunderstorm hours and to stay away from open fields, tall trees and metal structures during lightning activity.
The IMD’s nowcast bulletin, issued at 8:28 am IST on Sunday, tracks fast-changing weather systems over the next few hours and is updated multiple times a day during the monsoon season.
Isolated heavy rainfall is also forecast over Konkan and Goa, and Madhya Maharashtra, on August 2-3, while Arunachal Pradesh and Assam & Meghalaya face isolated very heavy rain risk from August 4.
Photo by Rajarshi Mitra, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
