IMD's Ranchi Meteorological Centre on Monday afternoon issued a forecast of widespread rain, lightning and thunder in Jharkhand during the next 48-hours.

Weathermen said Monday's satellite pictures and wind chart analysis suggested formation of convective clouds in several places.

Such clouds usually result in rain accompanied by thunder and lightning.

The Met centre issued an alert of heavy lightning especially in southern Jharkhand of three districts of Kolhan - East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan. Moderate lightning alert was issued for Simdega, which too falls in southern Jharkhand.

Rain data revealed that light to moderate rain occurred at several places over Jharkhand in the last 24 hours.

The highest amount of 31mm rainfall was recorded at Tenughat in Bokaro.

Weathermen said south easterly wind was prevailing at lower levels of atmosphere in most places.

The monsoon trough at mean sea level was on Monday passing through Bikaner, Ajmer, southern Chhattisgarh and Visakhapatnam.

Rain statistics revealed that apart from Tenughat in Bokaro district several other places including Pakur, Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Ramgarh, Garhwa and Rajmahal recorded light to moderate rain during the last 24 hours.

So far, this monsoon, Jharkhand has actually received 779.1 mm of rain against a normal of 812.4 mm, a deficit of four per cent.