IMD Forecasts Enhanced Rainfall Over East, Northeast India and Western Himalayas; Extremely Heavy Rain Alert for Odisha

📌 Summary:

• IMD forecasts enhanced rainfall over East & Northeast India, East Uttar Pradesh and the Western Himalayan Region over the next 7 days
• Extremely heavy rainfall (≥21 cm) already recorded over Odisha; red and orange warnings issued, with an extremely-heavy-rain alert for Odisha on 16 July
• Driven by a well-marked low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Odisha–West Bengal coasts, moving northwestwards over the next 2 days
• Reinforced by the monsoon trough, a western disturbance over the Jammu division and multiple upper-air cyclonic circulations over Haryana, East UP–Bihar and southwest Rajasthan
• A fresh Western Disturbance to affect Northwest India from 19 July; fishermen and farmers advised to follow safety protocols
• Subdued rainfall likely over west-central and south Peninsular India

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS1 Geography (monsoon and pressure systems) and GS3 Disaster Management (flood preparedness and early warning)

📝 Prelims Facts:

• IMD rainfall categories: Heavy 7–11 cm, Very Heavy 12–20 cm, Extremely Heavy ≥21 cm
• Colour warnings: Orange = be prepared, Red = take action
• A well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is driving the Odisha rainfall

🔑 Key Term: Well-marked low-pressure area – an intensifying low-pressure system, a stage in the lifecycle of a monsoon depression