The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for July 15, predicting a day of extreme weather across a large portion of the country. A fresh low‑pressure system forming over the Bay of Bengal is set to energise the southwest monsoon, bringing heavy rain to eastern regions and a lingering heatwave to the southern coastline.

Heavy Rainfall and Thunderstorms Across the East

According to IMD, Odisha is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated locales expecting more than 100 mm of rain in a 24‑hour period. Bihar will see a similar pattern, with several districts projected to record 80‑100 mm of precipitation. The northeast — including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim — as well as parts of Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh are also slated for widespread heavy showers.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40‑50 km/h are forecast for the Gangetic belt of West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Areas such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana may experience winds of 30‑40 km/h, with strong surface winds expected over the same southern states.

Heatwave Persists in Southern Coastal Zones

Despite the rain, a heatwave will continue to grip coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, where temperatures could soar above 38 °C. Hot and humid conditions are also expected in the National Capital Region, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and parts of Karnataka and Telangana, raising concerns for public health and energy demand.

Monsoon Dynamics and Future Outlook

The southwest monsoon, which typically blankets the entire sub‑continent by early July, is currently responsible for roughly 70 % of India’s annual rainfall. The active monsoon trough now stretches from Jammu across northern India to the northern Bay of Bengal, while an upper‑air cyclonic circulation persists over the north Bay and adjacent south‑Bangladesh. This set‑up is likely to spawn a low‑pressure area over the north Bay of Bengal and the West Bengal‑Bangladesh coast within the next 24 hours, amplifying monsoon activity over eastern India.

Experts warn that such abrupt weather swings are becoming more common under a warming climate. Strengthening disaster‑risk management, water‑resource planning and climate‑resilient agriculture will be crucial to mitigate the socio‑economic impacts of these extreme events.