Red alert: Monsoon to dump heavy rain over Gujarat, IMD issues caution
Gujarat is bracing for another spell of intense monsoon weather, with Kachchh placed under a red alert for Tuesday as thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds and heavy rain are expected to lash parts of the state.
The warning comes as a broad cloud system remains active over western and central India, visible in the latest INSAT-3DS satellite imagery.
According to the weather alert, Kachchh is at the highest risk, with heavy rainfall exceeding 15 mm per hour possible along with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching around 60 kmph.
The India Meteorological Department's alert also places several other parts of Gujarat under an orange warning, signalling the need for residents to remain prepared for potentially disruptive weather.
Dwarka, Diu, Gir Somnath, Jamnagar and Morbi are under the orange alert.
These areas could experience thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by gusty winds of 40-60 kmph and moderate to intense rainfall between 5 and 15 mm per hour.
The satellite image shows extensive cloud cover stretching across Gujarat and neighbouring regions, with several bright, dense cloud clusters indicating areas of deep convection. Such towering convective clouds can produce short-duration bursts of intense rain, frequent lightning and strong winds.
The weather system is also affecting other parts of the country. In Assam, Charaideo and Sivasagar are under an orange alert, while several districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Bahraich, Jaunpur, Kaushambi, Lakhimpur Kheri, Pratapgarh, Prayagraj, are also facing the possibility of thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds and moderate to intense rainfall.
For Gujarat, the immediate concern is the combination of very heavy rain, lightning and strong winds, particularly across Kachchh and the Saurashtra region.
Residents in the red-alert zone are advised to take precautions, avoid exposed areas during thunderstorms and stay updated with official weather warnings.
The latest weather setup highlights that, even as the southwest monsoon approaches its withdrawal phase over parts of India, another burst of intense rainfall can still develop over western India.- EndsPublished By: Sibu Kumar TripathiPublished On: Sep 15, 2026 12:01 IST
