Weather Update: IMD Forecasts Heavy Rainfall in Gujarat Tomorrow, Alert For Rajasthan, Karnataka Due to Cyclone Asna Threat - Check Full Forecast Here

Weather Update: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday predicted "very heavy" rainfall in Gujarat, and a 'red' alert has been issued for coastal Karnataka due to the threat of Cyclone Asna. This meteorological event over Saurashtra and Kutch is rare for August. The system is likely to emerge over the Arabian Sea on Friday and move westward towards Oman. Following a suggestion from Pakistan, the storm will be named Cyclone Asna once it intensifies into a cyclonic storm. Remarkably, only three cyclonic storms have formed over the Arabian Sea during August between 1891 and 2023.

Alert in Rajasthan

The meteorological department reported rain accompanied by thunderstorms in parts of eastern and western Rajasthan. Over the past 24 hours, light to moderate rainfall was observed in districts such as Sirohi and Ganganagar. The highest rainfall was recorded in Dhabaan of Hanumangarh at 48 mm, followed by Mount Abu with 44.4 mm. Rain also fell in Alwar, Barmer, Udaipur, and Dungarpur, with Phalodi experiencing the highest temperature at 35.6 degrees Celsius. The weather office expects rain activities to pick up again next week.

Deep depression towards Kutch

The IMD stated that the deep depression over Saurashtra and Kutch is expected to shift west-southwestwards, reaching the northeast Arabian Sea near Kutch and the adjoining Pakistan coast, and intensify into a cyclonic storm by Friday. Due to this development, "very heavy" rainfall is predicted over Saurashtra and Kutch on August 30, with Gujarat expected to experience heavy rain on September 1.
An offshore trough from the south Gujarat coast to the north Kerala coast is likely to cause extensive rainfall along the western coast, according to the IMD.

Light to moderate rainfall in THESE regions

The Konkan and Goa regions, as well as the ghat areas of central Maharashtra, are forecasted to see very heavy rainfall from August 30 to September 5. Coastal Karnataka, Kerala, and Mahe are likely to experience widespread light to moderate rainfall during this time, with isolated incidents of extremely heavy rain expected over Coastal Karnataka on August 30.

Red alert issued in Coastal Karnataka

The IMD has also issued an orange alert for Gujarat's coastal districts, including Jamnagar, Porbandar, and Dwarka. Meanwhile, a 'red alert' has been issued for Coastal Karnataka on August 30, followed by an orange alert on August 31.