Weather Alert: IMD Predicts Heavy Rain on Saturday and Sunday in these States

Due to a cyclonic circulation, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected significant rainfall throughout eastern India on September 18 and 19. The circulation is expected to develop over the north Bay of Bengal on September 17, according to the IMD on Wednesday.

North and central India, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, east Rajasthan, and Gujarat, are expected to have heavy rains till Thursday, according to the weather department.

The IMD stated, "Rainfall activity is anticipated to intensify over Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal on September 18-19, with moderately widespread to widespread rainfall and isolated heavy showers over above regions."

Rainfall will be scattered to moderately widespread throughout northwest India (excluding Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh) till September 17, according to the forecast. The country's monsoon activity has increased, reducing the country's rain deficiency to 5% from 9% at the end of August. 

Monsoon rains are approaching typical levels, which range from 104% to 96% of the long-term average. In the meantime, the weather department has issued an orange signal for Delhi, predicting heavy rain on Thursday in the national capital.

An orange alert is issued as a warning for exceptionally bad weather with the possibility of commute disruption due to road and sewer closures and power outages.

So far this monsoon season, the capital has received 1,146.4 mm of rain, the greatest in 46 years and nearly double the amount recorded last year.

The Safdarjung observatory, which is regarded as the city's official marker, recorded 1,150 mm of rainfall during the monsoon season in 1975. This month alone, Delhi has received 390mm of rain, making it the second rainiest September since 1901. The greatest total for this month has ever been 417.3mm in September 1944.