New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a fresh weather alert for 19 states as the southwest monsoon advances further across the country, bringing the possibility of thunderstorms, rain and strong winds even as severe heatwave conditions continue in parts of north India. According to the latest IMD forecast, wind speeds may reach up to 70 kmph in several regions, while some states could also witness light hailstorms over the next few days.

The monsoon has moved deeper into the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea regions, with conditions turning favourable for further advancement during the next 3-4 days. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep and parts of northeast India as monsoon activity intensifies.

Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir are among the states where the weather department has issued thunderstorm and rain alerts between May 24 and May 29.

IMD forecast for Delhi and North India:

Delhi is expected to remain under intense heatwave conditions despite the possibility of rain later this week. The IMD has predicted maximum temperatures touching 45 degrees Celsius in the national capital on May 24, along with hot winds and gusts of up to 40 kmph.

A change in weather is expected from May 25, when light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and dust storms may hit parts of Delhi-NCR. However, heatwave conditions are likely to persist till May 26.

In Uttar Pradesh, several districts including Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Meerut, Noida, Agra, Varanasi and Gorakhpur may witness strong winds and isolated rainfall even as temperatures remain close to 45 degrees Celsius. Western UP districts such as Meerut, Shamli, Bulandshahr and Saharanpur are under a thunderstorm alert.

Punjab is also expected to face a mix of scorching heat and changing weather conditions. Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Mohali and Jalandhar may witness strong winds and rain towards May 28 and 29.

Which states may receive heavy rain and thunderstorms today?

Bihar is likely to witness humid weather, thunderstorms and heavy rainfall over the next few days. Cities including Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Purnia and Bhagalpur are expected to receive rain between May 24 and May 29, with stronger thunderstorm activity predicted on May 24.

In Jharkhand- Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad and Bokaro may receive rain along with gusty winds. Thunderstorm activity is expected to continue till May 29.

Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand could witness rain, lightning and isolated hailstorms in hill districts including Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Dehradun and Nainital. Jammu & Kashmir is also likely to receive rain and thunderstorms on May 24 and 25, according to the latest IMD update.

Meanwhile, coastal and southern regions including Kerala and Tamil Nadu are expected to receive heavy rainfall as monsoon activity strengthens further over the coming days.

Major cities are expected to remain hot on May 24, with Delhi forecast at 44°C, Lucknow and Jaipur at 42°C, Patna at 41°C, while Chennai and Kolkata may record around 37°C.