Stormy Saturday: Thundersqualls to batter East India, West to sweat at 45°C

stormy saturday: thundersqualls to batter east india, west to sweat


India is bracing for a dramatic weather day on Saturday, May 9.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms, heavy rain and heatwaves to hit simultaneously across different parts of the country.

IS WEST BENGAL IN DANGER ON SATURDAY?

Kolkata and much of Gangetic West Bengal face a different threat: thundersqualls, which are sudden, violent storms with gusts reaching 70 kilometres per hour.

The IMD forecasts violent thundersqualls with gusts of up to 70 kilometres per hour across Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand on Saturday. (Photo: Reuters)

Bihar and Jharkhand are also in the firing line. Such winds can topple trees, knock out power lines, and damage crops.

The IMD has urged residents to stay indoors, avoid standing near trees, and unplug appliances.

WILL IT RAIN HEAVILY IN SOUTH INDIA ON SATURDAY?

Yes, and quite fiercely. Tamil Nadu and Kerala are in for a rough Saturday.

The IMD has warned of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall across both states, with the wet spell likely to last at least seven days.

The IMD warns of heavy to very heavy rainfall for at least seven days, with rough sea conditions making it unsafe to venture out on May 9 and 10. (Photo: Reuters)

A broad low-pressure trough stretching across the equatorial Indian Ocean, combined with a cyclonic circulation near the Comorin area (the southernmost tip of India), is pumping intense moisture northward, feeding these downpours.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the Arabian Sea off Kerala, the Lakshadweep area, or the Comorin region on May 9 and 10.

WHERE WILL IT BE HOTTEST IN INDIA ON MAY 9?

While much of India stays cooler than usual this May, thanks to above-normal rainfall, Rajasthan and Gujarat tell a very different story.

Jaisalmer recorded a scorching 45.1 degrees Celsius on May 8, the highest in the country.

Cracked, Sun-baked earth in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, where temperatures soared to 45.1 degrees Celsius on May 8, the highest recorded anywhere in India that day, with heatwave conditions set to continue through mid-May. (Photo: PTI)

Isolated heatwave conditions are expected to continue across West Rajasthan, Saurashtra, Kutch, and the Gujarat region through mid-May.

Stay hydrated and avoid peak sun hours.

WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE IN DELHI ON MAY 9?

The capital will enjoy a mostly clear Saturday, with maximum temperatures of 35 to 37 degrees Celsius, still below normal for this time of year.

A fresh western disturbance, or a weather system that originates over the Mediterranean and brings rain to northern India, is expected to arrive from May 10, bringing rain, thundershowers, and dust storms to Delhi by Monday night.

A fresh western disturbance is expected to bring rain, thundershowers, and dust storms to the national capital Monday night onwards. (Photo: Reuters)

On the broader picture, the IMD says the southwest monsoon is likely to set in over the Andaman Sea and parts of the south Bay of Bengal between May 14 and 20, right on schedule.

– Ends

Published By:

Radifah Kabir

Published On:

May 8, 2026 20:50 IST



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