Rain and thunderstorms are expected across a wide stretch of India on 23 August, with warnings covering Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and several other states. The forecast includes strong winds, lightning and thunderstorms in eastern areas, while parts of the hills may experience conditions that could increase the risk of landslides.

The weather department has issued alerts for 19 states in the summary accompanying the forecast. The detailed state list names Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, Meghalaya, Kerala and Assam. The detailed list therefore contains 18 entries, creating a difference with the broader 19-state description.

Wind speeds are expected to vary by location. Some areas may see gusts of 50 to 60 kilometres per hour, while another part of the forecast places the upper range at 60 to 70 kilometres per hour. Lightning and thunder are highlighted for eastern India, and farmers are warned that heavy rain could affect crops in some states.

Weather systems linked to the forecast

An upper-air cyclonic circulation is reported over and around Assam in the northeast. Another upper-air cyclonic circulation is located near the northern Bay of Bengal, close to the Bengal coast. These weather systems are included in the forecast for the day.

The warning also has a specific bearing on the hills. Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are covered by rain and wind alerts, with heavy rain mentioned in several districts. The forecast notes that landslides in mountainous areas could create difficulties, making weather information relevant to travel planning.

Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar

Delhi has a rain warning for 23 August, although heat and humidity are also expected to trouble residents during the day. The capital is forecast to record a maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 28 degrees Celsius.

In Uttar Pradesh, heavy rain and thunderstorm alerts cover Noida, Meerut, Aligarh, Mathura, Agra, Kanpur, Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Ghazipur, Ballia, Banda, Fatehpur, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur. Wind gusts may reach 50 to 60 kilometres per hour. Lucknow is expected to see a high of 33 degrees Celsius and a low of 28 degrees Celsius.

Bihar has a heavy rain and storm warning for Jehanabad, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gaya, Buxar, Siwan, Bhojpur, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Purnia, Saharsa, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar, Khagaria and Begusarai. Purnia appears twice in the supplied district list. Patna is forecast to reach 34 degrees Celsius, with a minimum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius.

Jharkhand’s alert includes Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Ramgarh, Bokaro and Khunti. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are possible, with winds of 50 to 60 kilometres per hour. Ranchi is expected to record a maximum of 31 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 24 degrees Celsius.

Rain warnings in the northern hills

Uttarakhand has a yellow rain alert for 23 and 24 August. Moderate to heavy rain is forecast in Bageshwar, Rudraprayag, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Pithoragarh, Almora, Pauri Garhwal and Nainital. Winds may reach 30 to 40 kilometres per hour. Dehradun is expected to see a high of 29 degrees Celsius and a low of 23 degrees Celsius on 23 August.

Himachal Pradesh has a rain and thunderstorm warning for Shimla, Kangra, Sirmaur, Mandi, Kullu, Solan and Chamba. Wind speeds may reach 70 kilometres per hour. Manali is forecast to record a maximum temperature of 13 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 4 degrees Celsius.

In Jammu and Kashmir, heavy rain is forecast for Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag, Jammu, Doda and Kishtwar. Winds may reach 60 kilometres per hour. Srinagar is expected to have a maximum temperature of 26 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 17 degrees Celsius.

Punjab and Rajasthan alerts

Punjab has a yellow rain alert for Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Rupnagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Bathinda, Muktsar, Mansa and Kapurthala. Strong winds of up to 50 kilometres per hour are possible. The forecast specifically calls for caution among farmers.

Rajasthan has a rain and thunderstorm warning for Bharatpur, Karauli, Dholpur, Udaipur and Dausa. Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Barmer may instead experience hot winds described as heatwave-like conditions. Jaipur is forecast to record a maximum of 34 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 27 degrees Celsius.

Other states included in the warning

Madhya Pradesh has a strong rain and wind alert for 23 and 24 August covering Shahdol, Seoni, Balaghat, Chhindwara, Satna, Anuppur, Mandla and Dindori. Bhopal is expected to see a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 24 degrees Celsius.

The broader forecast also includes Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, Meghalaya, Kerala and Assam. Eastern states may see lightning and thunderstorms at several places. The supplied material does not provide district-level forecasts or city temperatures for each of these states.

The city temperature figures provided for 23 August are:

  • Delhi: maximum 33 degrees Celsius, minimum 28 degrees Celsius
  • Mumbai: maximum 30 degrees Celsius, minimum 28 degrees Celsius
  • Chennai: maximum 35 degrees Celsius, minimum 27 degrees Celsius
  • Kolkata: maximum 33 degrees Celsius, minimum 28 degrees Celsius
  • Lucknow: maximum 33 degrees Celsius, minimum 28 degrees Celsius
  • Patna: maximum 34 degrees Celsius, minimum 28 degrees Celsius
  • Ranchi: maximum 31 degrees Celsius, minimum 24 degrees Celsius
  • Bhopal: maximum 30 degrees Celsius, minimum 24 degrees Celsius
  • Jaipur: maximum 34 degrees Celsius, minimum 27 degrees Celsius
  • Shimla: maximum 25 degrees Celsius, minimum 19 degrees Celsius
  • Nainital: maximum 25 degrees Celsius, minimum 21 degrees Celsius

The forecast presents contrasting conditions across the country: humid heat in Delhi, rain and storms across several northern and central districts, lightning concerns in the east, hot winds in parts of western Rajasthan and potential landslide-related difficulties in the hills. The detailed outlook supplied here is for 23 August, with some alerts extending through 24 August.