According to the latest weather bulletin issued on 29 April 2026 based on the All India Weather Summary and Forecast Bulletin, the coming month of May is predicted to be tough for most of the country, with West Bengal and Northeast facing intense rains, thunderstorms, and strong winds for five days in a row.

Heavy rainfall forecast for Northeast and Eastern India

With the arrival of the rains in many areas of India, travel to areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura will be hampered for five days due to intense rainfall, sometimes heavy to very heavy showers.

IMD weather forecast

Popular gateways such as Shillong and Guwahati were affected by water-logging, flight delays, and disruption of road traffic, especially in the lower and hilly areas vulnerable to landslides.East India, comprising states such as West Bengal (sub-Himalaya and Ganges plains), Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orissa, will witness thunderstorms, thundersqualls, and occasional hail storms. Routes through North Bengal to destinations such as Darjeeling and Sikkim are likely to be temporarily affected due to heavy showers and poor visibility.

West Himalayas and northern India have mixed weather conditions

In the north, places such as Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are likely to receive light and moderate showers accompanied with snow at higher elevations in some isolated locations on certain days from April 30 to May 5. Though favorable for tourists, the weather may make roads slippery and cause landslides in certain hilly routes.On the other hand, regions like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi might witness thunderstorm showers, high-speed winds, and occasional dust storm activities. There is an alert for a thundersquall with wind speed up to 70 kmph, which is hazardous for roadways and railways.

Heat wave and humidity

Whereas areas in India are preparing for the onset of rain, some other parts will be witnessing increasing temperatures in central and western India. An alarm for heat wave activity has been given for Vidarbha and Rajasthan in the first week of May. The temperature was recorded at a whopping 45.8°C at Banda, Uttar Pradesh.In the South, places like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh will witness the occurrence of thunder showers along with humid air with rainfall occurring in parts of Kerala and Karnataka.

What it means for travellers

The current weather situation is due to the presence of an active Western Disturbance, apart from several cyclonic disturbances and troughs over the Indian subcontinent. In addition, a fresh system will impact the Western Himalayan region from May 2 onwards, maintaining the unstable weather situation.From the travel perspective, one should be prepared for some flexibility, as flight delays, train cancellations, and road obstructions because of waterlogging and falling rocks may occur in many places. Hill stations and Northeastern routes should be approached with caution, and hot spots would require adequate hydration and reduced daylight exposure.Travelers are advised to keep themselves updated about official weather reports, not venture outdoors during lightning activity, and allow buffer time while making travel plans. With India entering its highly unstable pre-monsoon season, travel plans in various parts of the country may require reconsideration in the upcoming days.