After days of disappointing forecasts about likely showers, Ahmedabad finally received some showers, along with a dust storm, on Sunday evening.  Light rain was reported in Vasna, Vivekanand Nagar, Satellite, Jivraj Park and Vejalpur areas. Reports of uprooted and fallen trees were also received from several areas. 

Additionally, posters and pandals erected to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi too suffered some damage because of the winds.

Meanwhile, the district is likely to experience light to moderate rain or thundershowers in the coming days. The wind speed may go up to 50–60 kmph, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

On Sunday, the maximum temperature in the city was 41°C, slightly below normal, while the minimum temperature stood at 30°C, which is 2.1 degrees above normal. Humidity was 67 per cent in the morning and 38 per cent in the evening.

Elsewhere in the state

In the past 24 hours, only a few parts of South Gujarat received rain, while North Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch remained dry. Some areas in South Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch saw a drop in day temperatures, but others continued to experience heat.

For the next four days, IMD has predicted light to moderate rain or thunderstorms in several districts, including Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Banaskantha, Kheda, Aravalli, Anand, Panchmahal, Dahod, and Mahisagar. Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in South Gujarat districts such as Surat, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi, Narmada, as well as in the union territories of Daman and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, especially on May 25 and 26.

The southwest monsoon has advanced into parts of the Arabian Sea, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Bay of Bengal, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland. It is expected to move further into more areas of Maharashtra (including Mumbai), Karnataka (including Bengaluru), Andhra Pradesh, and the northeastern states in the next three days.

Misleading rain forecasts for city

Despite repeated forecasts of rain by the IMD, Ahmedabad faced hot and humid weather but got no rain. Dr Ashok Das, Scientist-F and Head of Meteorological Centre, Ahmedabad, explained, “We predict rainfall based on signs like rising humidity, wind convergence and cloud formation. But even with these indicators, rain may not always happen. Sometimes, clouds dissolve or move away due to local wind changes.”

Another official added that weather forecasts are based on dynamic models using many factors such as humidity, wind flow, temperature and air pressure. However, rain is also affected by small local changes. A slight shift in wind direction or geographical factors can delay or prevent rainfall, which is why predictions may not always come true.

According to the IMD, there will be no major change in maximum temperatures in Gujarat for the next week. People are advised to stay updated with weather warnings and take precautions during storms or heavy rain, especially in southern Gujarat.