The weather department has issued a fresh warning for 31 October, with heavy rain and storms expected across 23 states.

After the complete withdrawal of the monsoon, this new alert has added to worries, with winds of 90 to 95 kmph expected in the worst-hit areas.

The impact is expected to be highest in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Chhattisgarh, and farmers have been warned about possible crop damage.

Why this storm is building up

A cyclonic circulation near the Bay of Bengal is expected to drive fast winds across large parts of the country.

A cyclonic circulation is also building over northern Haryana and nearby areas, while a depression near southern Chhattisgarh raises the risk of heavy rain.

A western disturbance is expected to bring stormy rain to the states of north India as well.

Hail has been warned in five states, and a landslide warning has been issued for some areas of the hilly states.

The 23 states on alert

The states under the heavy rain and storm warning are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Tripura and Sikkim.

People have been advised to avoid travelling through densely forested areas during the storm.

In north India, temperatures could fall by 5 to 6 degrees Celsius, bringing a sharp change in the weather.

Delhi, UP, Bihar and Jharkhand in detail

In Delhi, a rain and storm alert is in place for 31 October, with wind speeds of 40 to 50 kmph expected. The maximum temperature is expected to reach 28 degrees Celsius and the minimum 18 degrees.

In Uttar Pradesh, heavy rain and storm alerts cover Meerut, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Aligarh, Agra, Mathura, Bahraich, Kanpur, Balrampur, Ambedkar Nagar, Chandauli, Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Shahjahanpur, Rampur, Unnao, Prayagraj, Deoria, Kushinagar, Mau, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Baghpat and Varanasi, with winds of 50 to 60 kmph. Lucknow is expected to record a maximum of 23 degrees and a minimum of 21 degrees.

In Bihar, the alert covers Gaya, Patna, Jehanabad, West Champaran, East Champaran, Siwan, Buxar, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Saran, Gopalganj, Kaimur, Bhojpur, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Purnia, Kishanganj, Katihar, Araria, Begusarai, Lakhisarai and Bhagalpur, with winds of 60 to 70 kmph. Patna is expected to record a maximum of 26 degrees and a minimum of 22 degrees.

In Jharkhand, Ranchi, Ramgarh, Khunti, Latehar, Gumla, Garhwa, Simdega, West Singhbhum, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Giridih, Sahibganj, Hazaribagh and Palamu are on alert, with winds around 65 kmph. Ranchi is expected to record a maximum of 26 degrees and a minimum of 20 degrees.

Take care during the storm

People in the affected states should stay indoors during heavy rain and strong winds where possible, and avoid standing under trees or weak structures.

Farmers should take early steps to protect standing crops, since strong winds and hail can cause serious damage in a short time.

Travellers should check local conditions before setting out, especially in hilly areas where landslides have been warned.