While Uttar Pradesh continues to reel under intense heat, a sudden shift in weather has brought both relief and concern. A cyclonic system forming over the Bay of Bengal has significantly altered weather conditions across the state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert for rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds over the next 24 to 36 hours. A dip in temperature along with lightning strikes is also expected.
On Thursday, April 10, several districts including Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, and Varanasi witnessed abrupt changes in weather. Dark clouds covered the skies by afternoon in Lucknow, followed by heavy showers. Kanpur and Prayagraj also experienced intense rainfall. In Varanasi, dust storms were accompanied by rainfall, and some areas reported hailstorms.
Other districts, including Ayodhya and Sultanpur, have also experienced rainfall. While the showers provided some relief from the heat, it raised serious concerns for farmers.
According to Prof. Manoj Kumar Srivastava, meteorologist at BHU, the cyclonic system over the Bay of Bengal is currently influencing weather across eastern and western Uttar Pradesh. This impact is expected to persist over the next 24 to 36 hours. Thunderstorms and high-speed winds are also expected during this period. Due to the weather shift, maximum temperatures in many parts of the state may drop by 2 to 4°C. Minimum temperatures are also expected to decline, offering temporary relief from the scorching heat.
Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a thunderstorm and rainfall alert for the following districts on April 10 and 11:
Azamgarh, Saharanpur, Shamli, Meerut, Baghpat, Bijnor, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Bareilly, Rampur, Hardoi, Unnao, Sitapur, Lucknow Weather, Rae Bareli, Lakhimpur Kheri, Pratapgarh, Gonda, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Shravasti, Bahraich, Ambedkar Nagar, Siddharthnagar, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Ballia, Mau, Deoria, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Balrampur, and Varanasi.
Winds at speeds of 30–40 km/h are likely to accompany the rain, urging farmers and residents to remain alert.
Relief from Heat, But Crop Damage Reported: While the rain has eased heatwave conditions across the state, it has raised serious concerns for farmers. In many areas, wheat crops were either still standing in fields or harvested but lying on the ground now soaked due to the rainfall. Dust storms and hailstorms have also damaged standing crops in the fields, potentially reducing overall yield and causing economic losses to farmers.
