In a  piece  of  good  news for  the State reeling under the  sweltering summer for the past few days, Uttarakhand Meteorological Centre has forecast light to moderate rainfall at many places for three days or  more starting from May 4.

This aside, the weathermen have issued warning of thunder squalls lashing at many places of the State at the speed of 50-60 KMPH from May 3 to May 6. Hailstorm is also likely at isolated places on May 5 and May 6, especially in the plains of Uttarakhand.

The Met office has advised the farmers to reap the harvest-ready crops from the fields and store them in safe places before May 3. The water management authorities have been advised too to take necessary measures to use the rainwater in view of several parts of the State grappling with draught like conditions.

The Met director Bikram Singh said that western disturbances and an east-west trough formed from Punjab to Northwest Bay of Bengal with embedded cyclonic circulations aside from another over southeast Uttar Pradesh are likely to affect the  weather of entire northwest India, including Uttarakhand, from May 3 to May 6. 

However, the day temperatures are likely to rise by about two notches in the next couple of days till May 2. The temperatures are expected to fall significantly for a few days since May 3under the impact of the possible rains.

The Met office has forecast very light to light rain/thunderstorm at isolated places, especially in higher reaches of Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand on Saturday. Things would remain dry in other parts of the State and till May 1.