IMD issues ‘orange’ alert for heavy rains in multiple states; active Western Disturbances to bring showers till 31 March

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) today issued an orange alert for Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim and Assam, predicting heavy rain on 27 March. Citing active Western Disturbances, the IMD has forecast rain, snowfall, thunderstorms and gusty winds across the Western Himalayan region till 31 March. The weather office has also forecast scattered rainfall over the northwest plains.

IMD in its latest press release said, “Isolated to scattered rainfall/snowfall with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds likely over Western Himalayan region till 27th and scattered to fairly widespread during 28th -31st March in associated with Western Disturbances. Isolated to scattered rainfall activity also likely over plains of northwest India till 31st March.”

For this week, the weather department has forecast “scattered to fairly widespread rainfall along with thunderstorm/lightning & gusty wind” over northeast region and adjoining east India. Predicting isolated heavy rainfall over Sub Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on 27 March, IMD said, “Arunachal Pradesh and Assam & Meghalaya during 27th-29th and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura during 28th March, 2026.”

Multiple northwestern, central and southern states are on yellow alert for rain today. IMD has also forecast isolated light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds, over Punjab till 28 March. Similar weather conditions are likely in East Uttar Pradesh today and in Rajasthan till 28 March.

Furthermore, hot and humid conditions are likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Kerala today. “Isolated light rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds speed reaching (30-50 kmph) likely over Madhya Pradesh on 27th and 29th–31st March; Chhattisgarh during next 7 days; Vidarbha during next 5 days,” IMD's press release dated 26 March added.

Delhi weather today

IMD issued a nowcast downpour warning for nearby regions, including Haryana's Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Karnal.

Very light rain is also likely during next 2 hours in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, Gangoh, Deoband, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Kandhla, Bijnaur, Khatauli, Sakoti Tanda, Hastinapur, Chandpur, Daurala, Meerut, Kithor, Debai, Narora.

IMD has forecast a “generally cloudy sky” with a spell of very light rain or drizzle for Thursday, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning from morning to forenoon and again from afternoon to evening.

The maximum temperature is likely to range from 29 to 31°C, while the minimum temperature will be around 19 to 21°C. The minimum temperature will be above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) at most places, and the maximum temperature will be near normal at most places over Delhi, IMD said.