IMD issues severe weather alert for state

MUMBAI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a severe weather alert for Maharashtra over the next four days, with parts of Marathwada, Madhya Maharashtra and Vidarbha likely to receive heavy showers and hailstorms.

A spokesperson with IMD’S regional forecasting centre in Mumbai cautioned that thunderstorm activity in interior Maharashtra will likely intensify between April 29 and May 2. “Thunderstorm with lightning, rain and gusty winds are to be expected in these regions,” the spokesperson said.

Mumbai and Palghar districts, though expected to remain ‘dry’ as per the IMD’S forecast, will continue to see drizzles and cloudy weather till at least May 2, officials said on Wednesday. The rest of the Konkan coast, however, will see rain and thundershowers.

Formation of thunderclouds was observed via satellite imagery on Wednesday evening over interior Maharashtra, including Pune district, which has been slotted under a ‘yellow’ alert -indicating a chance of severe weather -- till May 2.

Sangli, Latur, Osmanabad, Kolhapur, Solapur districts are expected to receive the highest levels of precipitation and have been placed under ‘orange’ alert, indicating that these areas need to prepare for the possibility of heavy rainfall over the next four days. Beed district, which abuts Osmanabad, Latur and Solapur, has been placed under ‘orange’ alert for May 2 only, and is under ‘yellow’ alert for all preceding days. “We have already seen episodes of heavy rain, strong winds and hailstorms in parts of the state this week. A northsouth trough is also running from central to south India, which will bring heavy rain to some parts of the state, particularly those bordering or close to Karnataka,” said a spokesperson, IMD’S regional centre. Pune.