Severe thunderstorm, hailstorm, heavy rainfall likely in Gujarat till May 11: IMD

The weather department has also listed the expected impacts of strong winds and hailstorm, stating that “breaking of tree branches, damage to standing crops, minor to major damage to power and communication lines due to breaking of branches, hail may injure people and cattle at open places, partial damage to vulnerable structures due to strong winds and minor damage to kutcha houses/walls and huts while loose objects may fly”.

“Moderate thunderstorm with lightning and surface wind 50- 60 kmph (in gust) accompanied with hail storm very likely in the districts of Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Dahod and Mahisagar, Panchmahal and Chhota Udepur; in the districts of Saurashtra namely Rajkot, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Morbi , Kutch, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Ahmedabad , Anand, Vadodara, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi and in the districts of Saurashtra namely Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Dwarka, Gir Somnath and Botad,” stated the IMD forecast for Monday.

Also, heavy rainfall is very likely at isolated places in Banaskantha, Patan and Sabarkantha and Kutch districts on Monday, it said.

“The upper air cyclonic circulation over northeast Arabian sea adjoining Gujarat coast. The north-south trough runs from cyclonic circulation over central parts of south Uttar Pradesh to south Tamil Nadu across Madhya Pradesh, cyclonic circulation over northern parts of Marathawada Interior Karnataka,” the IMD also stated in its bulletin issued Sunday.

Issuing an orange alert for Tuesday and Wednesday, the IMD also stated: “Severe thunderstorm with lightning and surface wind 70- 80 kmph (in gust) accompanied with moderate to heavy rain very likely at isolated places in the districts of Gujarat region namely Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Bharuch: in the districts of Saurashtra namely Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Gir Somnath, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Vadodara, Surat, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi; in the districts of Saurashtra-Kutch namely Surendranagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Morbi, Dwarka, Botad, Kutch and in Diu.”

Heavy rainfall is very likely at isolated places in Chhota Udepur, Narmada and Bharuch, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Gir Somnath, it added.

In its forecast for Thursday, the weather department stated: “Moderate thunderstorm with lightning and surface wind 50- 60 kmph (in gust) accompanied with moderate rain very likely at isolated places in the districts of Gujarat region namely Narmada, Bharuch, Anand, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Surat and Tapi: in the districts of Saurashtra- Kutch namely Amreli, Bhavnagar and Gir Somnath, Rajkot, Porbandar, Junagadh and Botad, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Dang, Navsari, Valsad; in the districts of Saurashtra-Kutch namely Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Morbi, Dwarka, Kutch.”

Further, heavy to very heavy rainfall in Narmada, Bharuch, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Gir Somnath, Anand, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Surat and Tapi, Rajkot, Porbandar, Junagadh and Botad is expected on Thursday.

Light rainfall occurred at isolated places over North Gujarat region and Saurashtra while remaining parts stayed dry on Sunday. Temperatures during the day fell in parts of Saurashtra and Kutch, while there was no large change over the rest of the region. Rajkot recorded the highest maximum temperature of 41 degree Celsius, followed by Surendranagar at 40.1 degree Celsius. Remaining centres were below 40 degree Celsius, with Ahmedabad at 37.4, Gandhinagar 37.5, Vadodara 37.2, Surat 33.3, Bhuj 37.6 and Naliya at 35.2 degree Celsius.