Gujarat: Unseasonal rains, as predicted by the Meteorological Department, have led to dramatic weather changes in various parts of the state since Thursday morning. Many areas experienced cloudiness, thunder, lightning, and strong winds, resulting in heavy rains in Kutch, Ambaji, and Deesa. Hail accompanied rain in some parts of the state, leading to concerns about widespread crop damage.

Farmers in Gujarat have faced significant losses due to unseasonal rains in recent years. On Thursday, heavy rains affected several areas, including Banaskantha, Ambaji, and Kutch. Torrential rains flooded many shops in Ambaji, while strong winds created a mini storm-like atmosphere in Banaskantha. The heavy rains caused road flooding, leading to difficulties for vehicle drivers and creating an Ashadh-like atmosphere during the summer days.

In the afternoon, a sudden weather change brought strong winds to Kutch and Deesa. Several villages in Bhachau taluka of Kutch were affected, while Deesa and Ambaji also experienced rain. According to sources, Deesa saw rain with hailstorms, while Ambaji faced heavy rain. The rainfall raises concerns about potential damage to crops such as wheat and castor in Kutch and other parts of the state.

The Meteorological Department has issued a forecast warning for the state of Gujarat, indicating the possibility of unseasonal rain and strong wind speeds from March 16 to March 19. Along with the wind speeds of 30 to 40 km per hour, light to moderate rain is expected to hit several regions of the state. The change in weather has already been observed in many areas, including Ahmedabad, with the amount of heat decreasing due to atmospheric changes.

Farmers are concerned that the unseasonal rains will have an adverse effect on their crops, particularly during the harvest period. The impact of the forecasted weather is expected to affect several areas, including Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Patan, Surat, Tapi, Narmada, Dang, Valsad, Amreli, Gir Somnath, Bhavnagar, Kutch, and Daman and Dadarnagar Haveli.

The weather department also warns of thunderstorms in several cities of the state on March 17, with the possibility of unseasonal rain in Dahod, Dang, Navsari, Tapi, Valsad, Amreli, Junagadh, and Daman and Dadranagar Haveli on March 18.

Due to the influence of cyclonic winds, most of the cities of the state remained cloudy on Wednesday, and the temperature has dropped by 2 to 4 degrees on March 16 and 17, as indicated by the Meteorological Department. The unseasonal rain could help to reduce the heat wave, but the farmers' concerns for their crops remain high.