IMD issues orange alert in NE, heavy rainfall likely in next 48 hours Squall sweeps through Imphal but no rain

GUWAHATI, Mar 15
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura for March 15-17 with a forecast of rains and thunderstorm over these North Eastern States.
In Manipur rain coupled with hailstones was reported from some districts, including Kangpokpi, Ukhrul and Senapati. A short, quick shower along with hailstorm was also reported from Kyamgei, Koirengei and some parts of Greater Imphal.
Imphal woke up to an overcast sky today but other than spells of strong wind, no rainfall has been reported from the capital city of Manipur.
Manipur has seen no rain for the last three/four months and Imphal in particular is reeling under acute water shortage. Many dams, including Dolaithabi Dam, Singda Dam etc are reportedly running very low.
Water tankers on the other hand are doing brisk business but one has to wait for a few days before water tankers can deliver the water.
As per IMD reports, a fresh active Western Disturbance is likely to affect the Indian region from March 16 onwards.
Due to low level southeasterly moist air incursion from the Bay of Bengal into east central, east and North East India and its interaction with the middle tropospheric westerly trough, scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with thunderstorms is expected in the next 48 hours.
Scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall activity with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds (speed 3040 kmph) likely over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim and North East India from March 16 to 19 and with isolated hailstorm over the region on March 15, as per IMD reports.
Per the IMD bulletin, possible light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and hailstorms will likely occur over south, central, east, and North East India from March 15 to March 17. These States include Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, etc. West Bengal is also likely to receive rainfall later this week, aided by the likely formation of a cyclonic circulation over Jharkhand.
The weather office added that thunderstorms with lightning or hailstorm, accompanied by light to moderate rainfall, is very likely over north Bengal districts from March 14 to 20. These districts include Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, and Kalimpong.
Furthermore, the weather department also forecast scattered light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds over north interior Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, and Jharkhand till March 17. Similar weather was forecast in J&K, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan on March 16 and 17.
Isolated hailstorm activity is also likely over northeast Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana on March 16 and 17; over Madhya Maharashtra on March 15 and 16; over Marathawada on March 16 and over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh, and East Rajasthan on March 17. Light to moderate rainfall is expected over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, and North East India till March 17. India Today NE