Uttar Pradesh weather update: IMD puts 42 districts on alert, warns of rain, thunderstorms and strong winds. Check Lucknow, Kanpur, Noida forecast

Several districts of Uttar Pradesh have been placed under a 'red alert' with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting thunderstorms and heavy rain. A red alert means extremely hazardous weather conditions expected to cause widespread damage and people need to stay alert.

The red alert represents the most severe weather warnings, indicating extremely heavy rainfall over 204.5 mm within 24 hours. Heavy rains lashed Noida accompanied with thunderstorms, lightning and strong gusty winds on Tuesday night.

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42 UP districts put on alert

The IMD has warned of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall in 42 districts of Uttar Pradesh which include Jaunpur, Gorakhpur, Sonbhadra, Raebareli, Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Rampur and other districts. Kanpur is also likely to witness partly cloudy skies with one or two spells of thunderstorms and rain.

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Hailstorms, along with rain and thunderstorms, are also expected in Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Chitrakoot, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Sonbhadra, Rampur, Bareilly, and Moradabad and wind speeds during this period could reach 40 to 50 km per hour. Strong winds will blow at a speed of 40 to 60 km per hour till May 7 in most of the districts of Uttar Pradesh.

The IMD has said that cloudy skies will persist across Uttar Pradesh on May 5 as well. An orange alert has been issued for 12 districts, warning of rain and possible hailstorms. These include Chitrakoot, Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Rampur, Bareilly, Sonbhadra, and Moradabad.

Yellow alert in Lucknow

A yellow alert has been issued in Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow and the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast partly cloudy skies becoming generally cloudy. There are chances of thunderstorms with one or two spell of rain, thundershowers accompanied with strong gusty winds. For May 6 and 7, the IMD has forecast partly cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers in Lucknow.

Light rain or drizzle is expected to continue in Lucknow, along with strong winds, which will provide relief from the heat and scorching sun.

Uttar Pradesh weather for five days

According to the IMD, rainy conditions are likely to continue in Uttar Pradesh for the next five days. This is expected to bring relief from the heat, with no heatwave conditions forecast for at least a week. Temperatures are also likely to drop significantly during this period. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a fall of 4–6°C in maximum temperatures over the next 24 hours, while minimum temperatures may decline by 2–4°C.

A day earlier, on May 4, several districts across the state witnessed rainfall accompanied by strong winds. In the capital, Lucknow, the sky turned dark around 9 am, followed by heavy showers shortly after.

Govt issues alert

The IMD has said that cloudy skies will persist across Uttar Pradesh on May 5 as well. An orange alert has been issued for 12 districts, warning of rain and possible hailstorms. These include Chitrakoot, Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Rampur, Bareilly, Sonbhadra, and Moradabad. According to an official statement, Adityanath directed that compensation for loss of life, livestock, or property damage be disbursed to the victims within 24 hours.

He asked DMs and field officers to stay on the ground to assess the situation firsthand and maintain direct contact with the public.

(With PTI inputs)