IMD's latest forecast flags weather trouble for India's top destinations, what travellers need to know

Tourists who are planning to take a trip in India during this week should have their eyes focused on weather news as well. According to the All India Weather Summary and Forecast Bulletin of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which was released on June 16, the southwest monsoon front is expected to move forward within the coming four to five days.

This weather event will bring not only much-needed respite to the scorching summer heat, but also new travel complications.The conditions at present favour the advance of the southwest monsoon into additional areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and some districts of Chhattisgarh. The northern edge of the monsoon season currently passes near Harnai, Solapur, Hyderabad, Bhadrachalam, Koraput, Ranchi and Muzaffarpur.From the standpoint of tourism, these developments bring both opportunities and difficulties. Rain showers turn Indian locations into extremely picturesque and beautiful places. But they might also cause flights delays and cancellations, road closures, floods and landslides in various parts of the country.The region that is most likely to be affected by the wet period is the Northeastern region. The IMD predicts a spell of general rainfall over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during the whole week, with some areas witnessing very heavy rains from June 17.

The predictions are likely to affect the plans of people travelling to the northeastern states, for places like Shillong, Tawang, and Ziro Valley might be badly hit by the monsoon spell. As the roads here are highly susceptible to landslide during rainy days, travellers should be prepared to change plans accordingly.The eastern Himalayan region will also face severe weather conditions during this period. Heavy rainfall is predicted to lash Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, while very heavy spells are forecast to fall during June 17-June 20.

Popular tourist destinations such as Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Gangtok may experience a little difficulty in terms of visibility and road conditions.Like Jharkhand, Bihar too has been placed under heavy rain warnings by the IMD for the period June 16 and June 19. The department has warned about the presence of thundersqualls in the region for June 20 and June 21.While the weather in Southern India can be described as quite opposite, yet equally exciting.

Kerala, which enjoys a reputation for monsoon tourism, will see widespread to fairly widespread rainfalls in the week, whereas the possibility of isolated heavy rainfalls can be seen on June 16. Rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal areas will continue between June 16 and June 18.While monsoon tourism at places like Munnar, Wayanad, Thekkady and the Nilgiris can make for wonderful sightseeing, one needs to note that authorities often restrict entry into ecologically sensitive regions during days of heavy rainfall.

Tourists are advised to check the condition of the roads and tourist spots before proceeding to their destination.Karnataka will see the onset of increased rain activity. While coastal Karnataka will see widespread rainfalls later in the week, the south interior of Karnataka will have enhanced monsoon activity starting June 19.North India continues to be in a transition phase as well. The states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are going to experience isolated rainfall over the next few days, while the precipitation in Jammu & Kashmir will be fairly widespread beginning June 18.

Furthermore, an isolated hailstorm is forecast in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on June 18 & 19.Travellers intending to visit popular hill stations like Manali, Dharamshala, Shimla, Gulmarg and Pahalgam should expect rapidly changing weather conditions. Driving in the mountains could turn out to be extremely tough due to thunderstorms and hail.Additionally, the weather agency has forecasted thunderstorms along with gusty winds in various regions across the country.

Thunderstorms along with winds of 40-60 kmph could hit areas including Haryana, Delhi and Punjab several times this week.Areas of west Rajasthan are going to face thundersqualls, wind gusts of up to 60-70 kmph with occasional gusts of up to 80 kmph on June 16. East Rajasthan could see thundersqualls with gusts up to 70 kmph on June 17 and 18.Those planning to experience the deserts from Jaisalmer and Bikaner may notice changes made by tour operators in their programs as a result of changes in local conditions.

While monsoon is advancing, heat remains a concern in parts of the country, and a heat wave is very likely over Telangana on June 16 and over Vidarbha on June 16 and 17. Hot and humid weather is predicted in Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and Odisha.Marine tourism could be impacted, as the India Meteorological Department advises fishermen against venturing into the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal sectors up to June 20, because of squally weather and high wind speeds. Those providing boat rides and related marine tours may temporarily suspend operations according to local guidelines.Heavy rains can bring about water logging, traffic problems, visibility issues and local landslides. Travellers are recommended to check the traffic situation before heading out to their destinations.