IMD weather forecast for Saturday, 1 August: Heavy rain to lash several states; flash flood risk in Gujarat, MP

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is likely to lash several parts of the country on Saturday (1 August), with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing warnings for multiple states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and parts of southern India.

According to the IMD, exceptionally heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places over Gujarat, while extremely heavy rainfall is expected over parts of Konkan & Goa, Madhya Maharashtra and Saurashtra & Kutch. The weather office has warned that these regions could experience intense downpours capable of causing waterlogging, flash floods, and transport disruption.

What IMD said in its forecast

In north India, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall is expected over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph, with gusts up to 50 kmph. Heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places over these states, while East Rajasthan may witness very heavy rainfall.

Across central India, heavy rainfall is forecast over Chhattisgarh, while Vidarbha is expected to experience thunderstorms and lightning.

In eastern and northeastern India, heavy rain is likely over Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, as well as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim are likely to receive very heavy rainfall, with widespread showers continuing across the region.

For western India, widespread rainfall is expected over Konkan & Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Gujarat Region and Saurashtra & Kutch. In addition to the risk of extremely heavy rainfall in parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, isolated thunderstorms are also likely over Gujarat and adjoining areas.

In South Peninsular India, widespread rainfall is likely over Kerala & Mahe, Coastal Karnataka and Lakshadweep, while scattered to fairly widespread showers are expected over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, Telangana, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema and interior Karnataka.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast over Coastal Karnataka, Kerala & Mahe, South Interior Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds. North Interior Karnataka may also witness thundersqualls with wind speeds of 50-60 kmph, gusting up to 70 kmph.

IMD flags low to moderate flash flood risk in parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra and MP

Meanwhile, the IMD has warned of a low-to-moderate flash-flood risk over a few watersheds and neighbourhoods in parts of central and western India during the next 24 hours, up to 11:30 AM on 1 August.

According to the weather office, the warning covers several districts in West Madhya Pradesh, including Agar Malwa, Alirajpur, Barwani, Burhanpur, Dewas, Dhar, Indore, Jhabua, Khandwa, Khargone, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam and Shajapur.

In the Gujarat Region, the flash flood risk has been forecast for Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman, Ahmedabad, Anand, Aravalli, Banaskantha, Bharuch, Chhota Udepur, Dahod, Dang, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Mehsana, Mahisagar, Narmada, Navsari, Panchmahal, Patan, Sabarkantha, Surat, Tapi, Vadodara and Valsad districts.

The IMD has also issued a similar alert for Konkan & Goa, covering Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Thane districts, as well as Madhya Maharashtra, where Nandurbar, Nashik, Pune and Satara districts are likely to remain vulnerable.

In Saurashtra & Kutch, the weather office has flagged a low-to-moderate flash-flood risk for Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Morbi and Kutch districts over the next 24 hours.