IMD predicts hailstorm in northern Maharashtra from February 23

Mumbai: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday has forecast thunderstorms along with hailstorms in northern parts of Maharashtra and western region of Madhya Pradesh on February 23 and 24. 

The IMD has also predicted a similar situation over Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of the state, the Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on February 24.

"Thunderstorm accompanied by hailstorm, gusty winds and lightening are very likely over the north Maharashtra region and western region of Madhya Pradesh on February 23 and 24,” said an IMD official.

IMD officials have attributed the weather conditions to the low pressure area in the Mediterranean region, a phenomenon known as westerly disturbances. “The westerly disturbance is very likely to have interaction with an already existing trough in the western Himalayan region during February 23 to 25,” read the statement by IMD.

Meanwhile, the state agriculture department has advised farmers to take necessary precautions like storing crops at safe places, covering cultivated crops and to take shelter in case of a hailstorm and thunderstorm. 

The Asian Age had earlier reported that over 1,086 villages from 11 districts of Vidarbha and Marathwada lost their crops over three days owing to the hailstorm earlier this month that damaged around one lakh hectare land in the regions. Crops like wheat, jawar, onions have been destroyed completely, according to the primary report.