Ahmedabad: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms at isolated places in parts of Gujarat on May 5, while dry weather is expected to prevail across most regions over the next week.

According to the mid-day bulletin issued on May 5, districts including Aravalli, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, and Chhota Udepur in the Gujarat region, along with Rajkot, Amreli, Bhavnagar, and Botad in Saurashtra, are likely to receive light to moderate rain or thundershowers till 8:30 am on May 6. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40–50 kmph are also likely at isolated locations.

However, the IMD has predicted predominantly dry weather conditions across Gujarat, Saurashtra-Kutch, and the Union Territories of Diu, Daman, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli from May 6 to May 12.

Despite rainfall activity, heat conditions are expected to persist. Maximum temperatures are likely to remain above 40°C in isolated pockets of the state over the next seven days. Meanwhile, Rajkot recorded the highest maximum temperature in the region at 42.2°C in the past 24 hours.

The weather department has also warned of hot and humid conditions in coastal areas of Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch between May 9 and May 11, which may cause discomfort, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions.

The current weather pattern is influenced by a cyclonic circulation over Kashmir and an upper air cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan, along with prevailing southwesterly to westerly winds at lower levels.

For Ahmedabad and surrounding areas, the forecast indicates a partly cloudy sky with the maximum temperature likely to hover around 39°C on May 6. DeshGujarat