IMD warns of 'heavy rains' in Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Northeast

NEW DELHI: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday predicted heavy rain at isolated places over Tamilnadu, Kerala, south interior Karnataka, Konkan and Goa, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. A thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds and lightning is likely to hit isolated places over Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, north coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rayalaseema.

On the other hand, heat wave conditions are expected at some places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and at one or two pockets over Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand.

The Met department further said that stagnation in further advance of southwest monsoon is likely for the coming one week due to the weakening of the monsoon circulation pattern. As a consequence, rainfall activity is expected to reduce over interior parts of the south peninsula, central and eastern parts of India. However, the enhanced rainfall activity over northeastern states will probably continue for the next three days.

The southwest monsoon has weakened after remaining "very active" during the first half of June, a meteorological department official said today, adding it is expected to revive in the next five-six days.

The India Meteorological Department official said the "lull" in monsoon activity is normal.

The northern limit of the monsoon continues to pass through Thane (including Mumbai), Ahmednagar, Buldhana, Amravati, Gondia, Titlagarh, Cuttack, Midnapore, Goalpara and Baghdogra.

The ongoing heavy rainfall spell is also likely to continue for next two to three days over parts of the northeastern states. Some parts of north and northeast India got some breather from hot weather conditions after it rained on Sunday, while the flood situation in Assam deteriorated affecting more than 4.5 lakh people.

(With inputs from agencies)