New Delhi, 1 September: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast persistent and intense monsoon rainfall across large areas of the country on 2 September, with heavy to very heavy showers likely over parts of central India and widespread heavy rainfall expected in portions of the north and east.
Weather system driving the spell
The IMD said a well-marked low-pressure area currently centred over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining north coastal Odisha, Jharkhand and northwest Bay of Bengal is expected to track west-northwestwards across north Odisha and Jharkhand during the next 48 hours. The department identified this system as one of the principal causes for the ongoing widespread rains over central and eastern India.
Hilly and foothill regions are not exempt: the forecast highlighted intensified monsoon activity over parts of the Himalaya, including Uttarakhand, where rainfall is expected to pick up as the system advances inland.
States and regions at risk
For 2 September, the IMD indicated isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over Chhattisgarh and East Madhya Pradesh. The department also listed numerous states expected to receive heavy rain at isolated places. These include:
- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya
- Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal
- Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi
- Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand
- Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura
- Punjab, Uttar Pradesh
The IMD additionally flagged the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning accompanying the rain, particularly over the Delhi–NCR region, Haryana and Chandigarh, as well as Punjab.
| Region | Forecast for 2 September |
|---|---|
| East Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall |
| West Madhya Pradesh | Fairly widespread to widespread rain from 2 September |
| Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh | Isolated heavy rain with thunderstorms and lightning |
Short-term outlook
Beyond the immediate 24–48 hour window, the IMD's seven-day outlook suggests the wet spell will persist in parts of central India through early September. The forecast notes fairly widespread rainfall over East Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in the coming days, while West Madhya Pradesh is likely to experience increasing rainfall from 2 September onward.
State and district administrations, disaster-response teams and urban local bodies normally use such IMD advisories to prepare for flooding, waterlogging and related hazards. Given the forecast of heavy rains and thunderstorms in densely populated plains and the hills, authorities are typically advised to monitor river levels, landslide-prone slopes and urban drainage systems.
Implications and cautions
Heavy monsoon spells in central and eastern India can rapidly produce localized flooding, disrupt road and rail transport, and trigger landslides in hilly terrain. The inclusion of the national capital and neighbouring states in the IMD advisory underlines that impacts may extend beyond the traditional monsoon strongholds.
Farmers, commuters and residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas should track state meteorological updates and follow instructions from local authorities. The IMD routinely issues more detailed district-level warnings and any change in the system’s track or intensity would be released in subsequent bulletins.
The current advisory is based on the observed low-pressure area and its predicted movement. As with all synoptic forecasts, short-term changes in the system's intensity or course can alter the distribution of rainfall; users of the forecast are therefore urged to consult the IMD's latest bulletins for updates.
Note: Forecast details above are drawn from the India Meteorological Department's latest public advisory on the low-pressure area and the associated rainfall outlook for 2 September.
