Scorching dry heat gives way to intense evening storms, hail across Hyderabad and Telangana

An intense but brief spell of thunderstorms, gusty winds and hailstorms lashed Hyderabad and several districts on Sunday evening, providing much-needed respite from the blistering heatwave that gripped the State throughout the day.

Several places in the city and adjoining areas, including Kukatpally, Quthbullapur, Alwal, Gajularamaram, Balanagar, Bowenpally, ECIL, Bachupally, Miyapur, RC Puram and Serlingampally, witnessed thunderstorms, gusty winds and even hailstones. Extensive thunderstorms accompanied by hailstorms were also reported from Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Medak, Kamareddy, Sangareddy, Vikarabad and Siddipet districts.

Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Hyderabad, in its Sunday evening forecast said that almost all districts will face scorching daytime heat followed by sudden evening thunderstorms and gusty winds till April 23.

The forecast



warned that maximum temperatures in most districts are expected to hover between 40 degrees Celsius and 44 degrees Celsius. The scorching afternoon heat is expected to give way to thundershowers and gusty winds in the evening.

The thunderstorm alert covers several districts, including Adilabad, Kumuram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagtial, Rajanna Sircilla, Peddapalli, Karimnagar, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Rangareddy, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Medak, Kamareddy, Mahabubnagar and Nagarkurnool.

According to IMD forecasts, due to extreme daytime temperatures, hot air rises rapidly and forms massive cumulonimbus (thunderclouds) by evening. When the rising heat meets moisture-laden winds blowing from the Bay of Bengal, it triggers thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds.