Lucknow, March 28 (Udaipur Kiran) — Weather conditions in Uttar Pradesh are set to change once again, with rain and strong winds expected across various districts over the next four days. Due to the impact of a western disturbance, the Meteorological Department has issued a rain alert for 40 districts, including Lucknow, for Saturday.
According to the department, several areas may witness thunderstorms, lightning, and even hailstorms along with strong winds. Wind speeds are likely to reach up to 30 kmph today, while rainfall activity is expected to continue in different parts of the state over the next four days. People have been advised to remain cautious, especially due to the risk of lightning strikes during storms.
The department stated that rainfall activity will begin in western Uttar Pradesh from the evening of March 29 and may continue until April 1. Districts such as Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Meerut, Mathura, Hathras, Kasganj, Etah, Agra, Firozabad, Bijnor, Amroha, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Sambhal, and Badaun may experience strong winds ranging between 40 to 50 kmph.
Additionally, districts including Shravasti, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Kannauj, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Unnao, Lucknow, Barabanki, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mainpuri, Etawah, Auraiya, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Jhansi, Lalitpur, and nearby areas may witness thunderstorms accompanied by lightning.
In the last 24 hours, rainfall has been recorded in around 10 districts, including Lucknow, leading to a drop in temperature. Districts under rain alert today include Ambedkar Nagar, Amethi, Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Baghpat, Gorakhpur, Bijnor, Saharanpur, Shamli, Prayagraj, Meerut, Mau, Muzaffarnagar, Sonbhadra, and Varanasi. Authorities have urged farmers and residents to take precautions, avoid open areas during storms, and seek safe shelter during lightning.
In Sitapur, the sudden change in weather has raised concerns among farmers. Rain and strong winds on Friday caused significant damage to mustard and wheat crops. Harvested mustard lying in fields got soaked, while mature wheat crops were flattened in several areas due to strong winds, increasing the risk of financial losses.
Deputy Director of Agriculture Shravan Kumar Singh said that wheat is cultivated over approximately 2.25 lakh hectares in the district, while mustard is also grown extensively. At a time when mustard harvesting was progressing rapidly and wheat was nearing maturity, the weather shift has impacted crops.
Senior scientist Dr. Dayashankar from Katiya Krishi Vigyan Kendra explained that rain-soaked mustard pods tend to stick together after drying, causing seeds to fall and spoil. Similarly, wheat crops flattened by wind may begin to germinate again if moisture persists, affecting both quality and yield.
Farmers reported that mustard crops left in fields after harvesting have suffered damage due to rain. In Prayagraj as well, a brief spell of storm and rain lasting around 20 minutes caused damage to wheat and mustard crops. Some farmers had stored harvested mustard for threshing in homes or orchards, but efforts to protect the produce failed as it got soaked.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
