IMD alerts 19 states for heavy rain and thunderstorms

A new system over the Bay of Bengal

The India Meteorological Department, the country's national weather agency, has issued alerts for 19 states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi for Thursday, 3 September, ABP News reports. The publication attributes the fresh spell of rain and strong winds to a new weather system created by winds rising from the Bay of Bengal.

According to ABP News, a cyclonic circulation is forming near southern Uttar Pradesh and northern Madhya Pradesh, and a similar system is likely to become active over West Bengal, northern coastal Odisha and Jharkhand. That raises the risk of thunder and lightning across eastern India, with hail possible in some areas.

Livehindustan reports a low pressure area sitting over north eastern Madhya Pradesh and nearby districts, which it links to heavy to very heavy rain between 2 and 8 September across a wide band of the country.

City forecasts and district warnings

Delhi is under an alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms, with winds of 30 to 40 kilometres per hour, ABP News says. Traffic on the capital's roads may be affected. The maximum temperature is expected near 31 degrees Celsius and the minimum near 26.

In Uttar Pradesh, ABP News lists Ghaziabad, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Agra, Aligarh, Rae Bareli, Hardoi, Unnao, Etawah, Hamirpur, Amethi, Sultanpur, Azamgarh, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur and Deoria among the districts warned of rain with squalls. Lucknow is forecast at about 31 degrees maximum and 27 minimum.

Bihar districts under a heavy rain and storm warning include West Champaran, East Champaran, Gaya, Patna, Bhojpur, Rohtas, Buxar, Vaishali, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Purnia, Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar, Bhagalpur, Munger and Khagaria, the same report says. Patna is expected to reach 32 degrees, with a low of 27.

In West Bengal, where Malda, Birbhum, Howrah, Kolkata, Darjeeling, Nadia, Durgapur, Kalimpong, Purulia and Murshidabad are on alert, ABP News says gusts of 55 to 60 kilometres per hour are possible. Kolkata is forecast at 31 degrees maximum and 26 minimum.

Flooding in Uttar Pradesh

Jagran reports that heavy rain has produced flood conditions in several Uttar Pradesh districts, with Prayagraj and Chitrakoot among the areas affected. In the preceding 24 hours, Lalitpur recorded the state's highest rainfall at 17 centimetres and Banda recorded 10 centimetres.

The weather office has advised people to stay away from waterlogged places and riverbanks, according to Jagran. It expects heavy rain in eastern Uttar Pradesh on 3 September and again from 6 to 8 September, and in western Uttar Pradesh from 4 to 7 September, with thunderstorms on 3 September.

The sources do not say how many people have been displaced by the flooding, and they do not indicate whether the alerts will remain in force beyond 8 September.