Subhechcha Ganguly 
As the southwest monsoon continues to advance over the country, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued widespread weather warnings for several regions, forecasting thunderstorms, gusty winds, and heavy rainfall over the next few days.
Thunderstorms and Gusty Winds in Northwest India
The IMD has warned of scattered to fairly widespread thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds across northwest India, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The weather activity is attributed to an upper air cyclonic circulation over western Rajasthan and northern central Uttar Pradesh. Isolated heavy rainfall is also likely in Jammu and Kashmir on May 30 and 31.
Heavy Rainfall and Red Alert in Kerala
In southern India, Kerala is bracing for intense rainfall. The IMD has issued a red alert for eight districts including Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, and Kozhikode. An orange alert has been issued for six more districts such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Thrissur.
Due to the persistent heavy downpour, district administrations in several regions have declared holidays for all educational institutions on May 30. In Idukki, night travel has been restricted in high-range areas between 7 PM and 6 AM as a precautionary measure.
Orange Alert in Delhi
Delhi experienced light showers on Thursday evening, providing slight relief from the prevailing hot and humid weather. An orange alert has been issued for the national capital for May 30, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls. The minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 29°C, which is 2.4°C above the seasonal average.
Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan to See Thunderstorms
The IMD has also forecast thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds (up to 50 kmph) in isolated areas of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP), South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP), Yanam, and Rayalaseema from May 29 to 31.
In Rajasthan, light to moderate rain with thunderstorms is expected in parts of Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, and Jaipur on May 30 and 31.
As monsoon activity intensifies, the IMD urges citizens to stay alert and follow regional advisories for safety.
