Gandhinagar: After weeks of waiting, the people of Gujarat can now brace for heavy rainfall starting today. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a seven-day heavy rain forecast for several districts of Gujarat beginning August 14, with multiple regions placed under an orange alert during the period.

As per the IMD bulletin, heavy rains are very likely at isolated places in Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, while light thunderstorms with lightning and winds of 30–40 kmph, accompanied by light to moderate rain, are expected across all districts of the Gujarat region, Saurashtra-Kutch, and Diu for the next 24 hours.

On August 15, heavy rains are expected in Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli. Thunderstorms with gusty winds are likely in most districts.

On August 16, heavy rains might continue in Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, along with thunderstorms and moderate rainfall across the state.

On August 17, heavy to very heavy rains are forecast for Surat, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and these districts are on orange alert. Other districts, including Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Anand, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Bharuch, and several parts of Saurashtra-Kutch, may also see heavy rainfall.

On August 18, very heavy rains are likely in Surat, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Porbandar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Dwarka, Gir Somnath, and Diu, which are also under orange alert. Many other districts in north and central Gujarat are expected to receive heavy rainfall.

On August 19, heavy to very heavy rains are predicted in Surat, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Porbandar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Dwarka, Gir Somnath, and Diu. Several northern and central districts are also expected to see heavy showers.

On August 20, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in Navsari, Valsad, Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Porbandar, Amreli, Bhavnagar, and Dwarka, while other districts might witness light to heavy rain.

This comes as the monsoon, after lingering in north India for the last few weeks, has begun shifting southwest towards Rajasthan. According to the IMD, the monsoon trough at mean sea level now passes through Bikaner, Banasthali, Guna, Damoh, Bilaspur, Kalingapatnam, and then over the centre of a low-pressure area in northwest and adjoining areas of the west-central Bay of Bengal and the South Odisha–North Andhra Pradesh coasts.