India Meteorological Department (IMD) has declared the formation of a low-pressure area over North-West Bay of Bengal on Thursday, a day before it had anticipated. But this fell in in line with what private forecaster Skymet Weather had predicted a couple of days ago.

The IMD said that the ‘low’ is likely to move in a typical West-North-West direction along the monsoon trough during the next 2-3 days bringing forth fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls over East and adjoining Central India until Saturday.

Heavy rain over Central India

Isolated extremely heavy falls were forecast over Telangana, South Chhattisgarh and Vidarbha on Thursday. To the West, the monsoon-driving offshore trough unshackled itself from being truncated to being full-blown and lie extended along entire West Coast from South Gujarat coast to Kerala coast.

This signals active monsoon conditions with the ‘low’ in the Bay imparting its pull effect to the fullest and attracting monsoon westerlies from the Arabian Sea and into the Peninsular, Central and East India. The IMD expects these conditions to persist over the next three days.

Skymet flood warning

Skymet Weather fears that the heavy to very heavy rain might lead to ‘catastrophic floods’ over Bihar and neighbourhood. The IMD indicated an increase in rainfall over North-East India likely from Monday with fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls over these areas.

According to Skymet, the heavy monsoon during June and July had triggered widespread floods over many districts of Bihar. In the third week of June, the monsoon trough over land trough sifted to the foothills of the Himalayas. Heavy rain had occurred over Nepal Hills as well as along the foothills of Bihar.

Bihar, Nepal at risk

This resulted in widespread flooding over west Champaran, Bettiah, Motihari, Sitamarhi, Saran, Muzaffarpur and adjoining districts of Bihar. Incessant rains during first two weeks of July over Nepal and Bihar sent the Gandak, Kosi and Ghagra rivers flowing above the danger level mark.

There may be heavy to very heavy rain with isolated extremely heavy spells over the northern districts of Bihar and the Nepal Hills. Peak intensity is expected by Tuesday while the heavy rain may continue until Thursday.

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