Moderate to heavy rainfall lashed parts of northern India on Friday morning, providing a much-needed respite from heatwave conditions in multiple states. Heavy rain and thunderstorms were recorded in parts of Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, with wind speeds expected to reach up to 70-80 kmph during the day.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday evening also predicted light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms in Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh on Friday. This fresh spell of rainfall is expected to bring down the temperature in northern India, where mercury soared past 40 degrees Celsius in multiple states in April.

Heavy rain forecast in multiple states

Delhi on Friday morning recorded heavy rain and high wind speeds, with IMD issuing an advisory for residents to stay in during bad weather conditions. The capital witnessed heavy waterlogging in the early hours of the day, and flight operations were affected due to low visibility.

Rainfall was also recorded in Kashmir’s Srinagar and parts of Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh on Thursday evening, with IMD predicting more showers throughout the day on Friday. Light to moderate rainfall is also expected in Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, South Interior Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh during the day.

Humidity is expected to remain high in Maharashtra and Goa, with a forecast of light drizzling and gusty winds.

A hailstorm and rain warning was issued by IMD for Punjab, adjoining Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, southwest Rajasthan, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, south Gangetic West Bengal, and coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Rainfall likely to continue till May 4

In its weather bulletin on Thursday evening, the MeT department predicted that rainfall with thunderstorms, hailstorms and gusty winds are expected to continue in east and central India till May 4.

It is likely that light rains will continue in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi throughout the day today, bringing the minimum temperature down to 24 degrees Celsius. The capital and adjoining states are likely to experience cloudy skies and light rains Tuesday, May 6.

Further, light rainfall and gusty winds are expected to continue till May 4 in West Bengal, Jharkhand, parts of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and parts of Jammu and Kashmir.