Several parts of Jharkhand are expected to experience thunderstorms and lightning during the next 72 hours, a weatherman warned on Monday.

“Jharkhand’s topography is such that despite the arrival of monsoon convective clouds (cumulonimbus), which usually triggers thunderstorms, lightning and rain continue over hilly terrain and plateau region. Today’s air chart analysis and satellite images indicated thunderstorm activity over isolated pockets of Jharkhand in the next three days,”said S.D. Kotal, the director of IMD’s Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

According to Kotal, apart from the monsoon trough, a cyclonic circulation was hovering over north Odisha extending 7.6km above the mean sea level.

A trough of low pressure was also hovering over Jharkhand and east central Bay of Bengal.

“The twin systems will help in triggering thunderstorm and lightning activity in isolated parts of the state during the next 72 hours,” said Kotal, adding that they have withdrawn the heavy rain forecast for Monday.

The state government’s disaster management wing also issued a warning of lightning and thundershowers in a special bulletin issued on Monday afternoon.

Dark clouds loom over Sakchi in Jamshedpur on Monday Bhola Prasad

“Southern parts of Jharkhand, especially places like Chakulia, Kaliyaan, Hatibari and Ghatshila in East Singhbhum are most vulnerable. Lightning and thunder showers are expected in those places. People should stay indoors,” said the bulletin.

Meanwhile, southwest monsoon was normal over Jharkhand during the next 48 hours, resulting in widespread light to moderate rains.

The good shower show resulted in a rise in rain surplus figures to 27 per cent from 23 per cent in three days.

Statistics revealed that on Sunday, Jharkhand received actual rain of 136.4mm against a normal of 107.8mm, a surplus of 27 per cent.

Except for five districts, Deoghar, Pakur, Dumka, Gumla and Khunti, the rest of the 19 Jharkhand districts figure in the rain-gainers list.

Palamau tops the rain surplus list with 221 per cent, against a normal of 58.9 per cent. In June, the first monsoon month, Palamau received an impressive 190mm of rain.

Latehar, second in the rain-gainers’ list with 168 per cent surplus rain, followed by Garhwa which has so far achieved 82 per cent surplus rain.

Data suggested that capital Ranchi has recorded 18 per cent surplus rain (normal 112.1mm, actual 132.8mm).