Thu Jul 24 15:20:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
Uttar Pradesh is bracing for widespread rainfall over the next 24 hours due to two active weather systems. A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify monsoon activity in eastern and central UP, while a trough line passing through western UP has already caused significant rainfall in that region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in 18 districts, primarily in the eastern and southern parts of the state. The alert includes the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning strikes across a wider area.
**News Article:**
**Heavy Rains Expected Across Uttar Pradesh; Yellow Alert Issued for 18 Districts**
**Lucknow, India** – Uttar Pradesh is preparing for widespread rainfall over the next 24 hours, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in 18 districts. The advisory primarily targets eastern and southern regions of the state.
The impending weather is driven by two distinct systems. A low-pressure area forming over the Bay of Bengal is projected to move northwestward, significantly intensifying monsoon activity across eastern and central Uttar Pradesh starting Friday. Concurrently, a trough line stretching from Sri Ganganagar through Sirsa and Meerut has already triggered substantial rainfall in western UP over the past 24 hours.
According to IMD Lucknow, significant rainfall has already been recorded in several areas including Hasanpur (Amroha), Kasganj, Madawara (Lalitpur), Mawana (Meerut), and Meerut city.
The yellow alert for heavy rainfall has been issued for the following districts: Banda, Chitrakoot, Prayagraj, Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Sant Ravi Das Nagar, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia, Sultanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Jhansi, and Lalitpur.
Additionally, the IMD has warned of potential thunderstorms and lightning strikes across a wider swathe of the state, including: Banda, Chitrakoot, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Pratapgarh, Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Sant Ravi Das Nagar, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia, Deoria, Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Basti, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Siddharth Nagar, Gonda, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Unnao, Lucknow, Barabanki, Raebareli, Amethi, Sultanpur, Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Jhansi, and Lalitpur.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to take necessary precautions, including staying indoors during thunderstorms, avoiding travel in flooded areas, and monitoring weather updates from the IMD. The weather conditions are expected to gradually encompass western UP in the coming hours.