The monsoon is expected to strengthen over much of India this week. The India Meteorological Department has warned of flash flood risks in parts of the Northeast and predicted extremely heavy rainfall in several states during the next seven days.
The IMD noted a low to moderate flash flood risk in the next 24 hours for sections of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, where widespread heavy rain is forecast. Surface runoff and flooding are possible in low-lying zones and areas with saturated soils.
At-risk districts include Changlang, Dibang Valley, East Kameng, Papum Pare and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh; Cachar, Darrang, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup Metro, Karbi Anglong, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Sonitpur and Tinsukia in Assam; and East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya.
Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast across the Northeast and nearby eastern India over the coming week. Rainfall of 21 cm or more is likely in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.
Active monsoon conditions will bring widespread rain to the Northeast. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura may see fairly widespread to widespread showers with thunderstorms and lightning. Heavy rain is also likely in Kerala and coastal and south interior Karnataka over the next six to seven days.
The wet spell will extend to eastern India. Gangetic West Bengal, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha are expected to receive widespread rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph, up to 50 kmph in places.
Northwest India will also see active monsoon conditions with widespread rainfall, thunderstorms and gusty winds. Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad may receive fairly widespread to widespread rain with thunderstorms and winds of 30-40 kmph, gusting to 50 kmph, from August 4-7. Similar conditions are forecast for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from August 4-9.
Widespread rainfall with thunderstorms is also expected over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab from August 4-6, West Uttar Pradesh from August 4-7, East Uttar Pradesh from August 4-8, and East Rajasthan from August 8-9.
