Residents in affected regions have been advised to exercise caution and monitor local forecasts before stepping outdoors.

Weather alerts across multiple states

According to the IMD, different alert levels have been issued depending on severity:

Yellow alert: Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh

Orange alert: Hilly districts of Uttarakhand, including Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh

Heavy rain alert: Bihar, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal and Mizoram

In addition, Punjab and Haryana are expected to experience thundersqualls with wind speeds reaching up to 70 km/h.

Delhi-NCR weather forecast

Delhi-NCR is already witnessing light showers, and the IMD has issued a Yellow Alert from 29 April to 1 May.

29 April: Thunderstorms with gusty winds up to 60 km/h are expected through the afternoon and evening, along with light to moderate rainfall.

30 April: Maximum temperature likely to drop further to 37°C, with minimum around 26°C, alongside continued rain and thunder activity.

1 May: Weather is expected to begin clearing, with temperatures rising again to around 40°C.

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan conditions

In Uttar Pradesh, patchy clouds and light showers are expected in Lucknow and nearby areas, while both eastern and western regions may witness thunderstorms, as reported.

Bihar is under a heavy rain and storm warning, with major districts such as Patna, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Purnia expected to be affected. Patna's maximum temperature is likely to remain around 36°C.

Rajasthan continues to record high temperatures above 40°C in cities such as Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaipur. However, hailstorms are possible in Ganganagar and Bikaner. Eastern Rajasthan is expected to remain unsettled into early May, with a Yellow Alert issued for 11 districts.

Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh: Severe weather in hill regions

Reports indicate contrasting conditions in Uttarakhand, where plains and hill regions are experiencing different impacts.

In the plains, Dehradun has seen cloud cover replacing intense heat, with cooler winds and light drizzle reducing the maximum temperature to 34.7°C.

In the hill districts, including Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Almora and Champawat, strong winds and rain have uprooted trees and disrupted road connectivity. In Bageshwar, a mango tree reportedly fell on a house, causing significant damage.

Himachal Pradesh is also facing storm warnings in districts such as Kangra, Kullu, Shimla, Mandi and Una, with winds expected to reach up to 60 km/h. Manali may see temperatures dropping to around -1°C overnight.

Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal and Mizoram alerts

Punjab is expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall in districts including Amritsar, Bathinda, Mohali and Gurdaspur, with winds likely to reach 60-65 km/h.

In Jammu & Kashmir, light to moderate rain or snowfall is expected, along with thunderstorms and winds up to 50 km/h. Isolated hailstorms may also occur.

West Bengal is forecast to experience thunderstorms across Kolkata, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas and other southern districts, with wind speeds of 50-60 km/h until 3 May. Heavy rainfall is also expected in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and sub-Himalayan regions.

Mizoram remains on alert across nine districts, including Aizawl. As a precaution, schools in the state have already been shut.

Health advisory and safety measures

The Health Department has advised residents across all affected states to remain indoors between 11 am and 4 pm where possible, avoid unnecessary travel during storm conditions, and move to safe locations when weather deteriorates. Authorities have emphasised that staying indoors during strong winds and thunderstorms is the safest course of action.