The India Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rain and strong winds gusting up to 85 kmph across 12 states on Sunday, August 2, 2026, with rapid weather changes expected over the next few hours in North, East and Central India.
The states under alert are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal, according to the IMD’s morning bulletin.
Wind speeds are expected to vary by region: 70-75 kmph in Uttar Pradesh, 65-70 kmph in Bihar, 60-70 kmph in Delhi-NCR, West Bengal and Punjab, and 50-60 kmph in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
Bihar has been placed under a yellow alert, with widespread rainfall and heavy showers forecast across Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Purnia and Bhagalpur.
In Uttar Pradesh, heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms is likely in several districts, including Meerut, Prayagraj, Agra, Jhansi, Bareilly and Mirzapur, while Delhi is expected to see generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rain or drizzle through the day.
The IMD said the alert reflects rapidly developing thunderstorm activity typical of the monsoon season, with lightning and gusty winds expected at isolated locations across the affected states.
The IMD’s nowcast bulletin, issued at 8:28 am IST on Sunday, tracks fast-changing weather systems over the next few hours and is updated multiple times a day during the monsoon season.
Isolated heavy rainfall is also forecast over Konkan and Goa, and Madhya Maharashtra, on August 2-3, while Arunachal Pradesh and Assam & Meghalaya face isolated very heavy rain risk from August 4.
Gusty winds and lightning are typically associated with the kind of fast-moving thunderstorm cells the IMD flagged for the day, which can cause localised damage to power lines, trees and temporary structures.
Residents in the affected states have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel during peak thunderstorm hours and to stay away from open fields, tall trees and metal structures during lightning activity.
Photo by Rajarshi Mitra, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
