By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 4 May: Unseasonal weather has gripped Uttarakhand since the start of May. Heavy rainfall was reported from various parts of the state since around the midnight last night. Kedarnath has also witnessed continuous heavy rainfall since 2 May that added to the chill in the shrine area and affected weather conditions across the state. The sudden change has brought both relief from the rising summer heat and fresh challenges for residents, farmers and travellers in the hills, particularly, but across the state in general.
The changing weather has provided respite from the rising summer heat on the one hand but has also brought fresh challenges on the other. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast further rain, strong winds and lightning activity in the coming days, cautioning that the skies are unlikely to clear immediately. Over the past 24 to 48 hours, several districts have witnessed hailstorms, snowfall in higher reaches and gusty winds, disrupting daily life. Farmers have been particularly affected, with hail damaging standing crops.
Rainfall, hailstorms and gusty winds have been reported across several districts since 2 May, which have disrupted normal life and have damaged crops, particularly in the higher reaches where snowfall was also recorded. Farmers had to bear the brunt of the conditions as hail caused significant losses to standing crops, while strong winds affected daily activities in many areas.
It may be recalled that IMD had issued alerts for these dates, warning of thunderstorms, lightning and winds reaching speeds of 40 to 50 kilometres per hour. These forecasts proved accurate as the weather remained active across both plains and hills, with residents advised to remain cautious and avoid unnecessary travel. Disaster management teams were kept on alert, and people were urged to follow official advisories.
Looking ahead, the department has forecast that rainfall will continue on 5 May, though its intensity may be lower compared to the previous days. Conditions are expected to gradually improve from 6 May onwards, with dry weather likely to return in most parts of the state. However, light showers may still occur in the hill districts on 7 and 8 May, keeping the weather unsettled in pockets.
The overall trend indicates that the first week of May will remain influenced by rain, leading to a noticeable fall in temperatures. This drop has brought relief to residents of the plains, where April had ended with steadily rising heat. At the same time, warnings remain in place for districts such as Haridwar, Dehradun, Champawat, Pauri Garhwal, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar, where hailstorms and strong winds could continue to affect daily life.
Warnings have been issued for districts such as Haridwar, Dehradun, Champawat, Pauri Garhwal, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar, where hailstorms and strong winds could affect normal life. The unsettled weather has underlined the need for caution, as Uttarakhand continues to grapple with the dual impact of relief from heat and the risks posed by extreme conditions.
