Yellow alert in seven areas of Maharashtra as rain sets in ahead of Diwali

With Diwali near, the weather in Maharashtra has changed again. The effect of a cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal has created conditions for rain in many parts of the state. Light to moderate rain is expected in some districts, while in others strong winds may blow with thunder. The weather department has issued yellow alerts for some districts. Here is how the weather will be on November 3 in Konkan, Western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha.

In Konkan, the weather will be mixed. Palghar district is likely to stay mostly dry, but Thane, Mumbai and Raigad districts may get light showers. Ratnagiri district may see light to moderate rain with thunder. Sindhudurg district has a yellow alert for rain, with winds of 30 to 40 km per hour possible, and people have been asked to be careful as the weather changes. Showers are expected in most parts of Konkan the next day as well. Those heading out for Diwali shopping or travel should keep this forecast in mind.

In North Maharashtra, Dhule, Nandurbar and Jalgaon districts are expected to remain dry. Nashik city and the ghat area may see a change, with light to moderate rain and thunder. Rain is likely to continue in the ghat area tomorrow, after which the weather may change again. North Maharashtra may thus see dry weather in some places and rain in others.

Some districts of Western Maharashtra may get rain, and thunderstorm conditions may develop in places. Light to moderate rain is forecast in Ahilyanagar, Pune, the Pune ghats, Satara, Sangli and Solapur districts. The Kolhapur ghat area in particular has a yellow alert for rain. Winds of 40 to 50 km per hour are possible there, and some places may get stormy rain with lightning. Those travelling in the ghat area and farmers should keep track of the forecast.

Most districts of Marathwada have conditions for rain. Nanded and Latur districts have a yellow alert, with winds of 30 to 40 km per hour possible. The other districts are also expected to get light to moderate rain with thunder. Rain may continue in the region for the next two days. Rain may bring the temperature down somewhat, though some parts may still feel both cloudy and warm.

There is no rain warning for all districts of Vidarbha. No alert has been issued for Akola, Amravati, Bhandara, Buldhana, Gondia, Nagpur, Wardha and Washim districts. Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Yavatmal districts, however, have a yellow alert for rain. Winds of 30 to 40 km per hour are possible in these districts, and some places may see rain with thunder. Parts of Vidarbha will thus have rain, while the weather in the remaining districts may stay relatively stable.

Overall, light to moderate rain is forecast in many parts of Maharashtra on November 3. Yellow alerts have been issued for Sindhudurg in Konkan, the Kolhapur ghat in Western Maharashtra, Nanded and Latur in Marathwada, and Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Yavatmal in Vidarbha. On the other hand, the weather may stay dry in Dhule, Nandurbar and Jalgaon in North Maharashtra and in some districts of Vidarbha. The rain will lower temperatures in some parts of the state and bring relief from the humidity. The weather may still change over the next two to three days, so people should follow the weather department's latest updates. Special caution is needed where strong winds and lightning are likely.