LUCKNOW, July 29 -- The India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in 15 districts, including Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Bijnor, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Mahoba, Jhansi, Lalitpur and surrounding regions. This is expected to reduce UP's overall rain deficit which is pegged at 25%. IMD also predicted thunderstorms and lightning across the state over the next three days. The likelihood of thunderstorms/lightning is high in 44 districts including Banda, Chitrakoot, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur City, Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, Hathras, Etah, Agra, Firozabad, Etawah, Auraiya, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Sambhal, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Lalitpur, and surrounding regions. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Meerut received 80.8 mm of rain, Kanpur IAF 77 mm, Aligarh 61.4 mm, Moradabad 60.4 mm, Muzaffarnagar 46.4 mm, Varanasi airport 28.2 mm, Agra 24.8 mm, and Basti 24.2 mm. During the last 24 hours, districts that received rain in excess of 20 mm are: Bijnor 44.9 mm, Saharanpur 40.6 mm, Kannauj 28.7 mm, Kasganj 28.3 mm, Shravasti 21.2 mm, and Lakhimpur Kheri 20.6 mm. Lucknow recorded 0.7 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours. Maximum and minimum temperatures in the state capital were 35.2 and 26.6 degrees Celsius. The forecast is generally cloudy sky becoming overcast with a few spells of rain/thundershowers. The maximum and minimum temperature will be around 36 and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively. IMD issued a warning that thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are very likely at isolated places. The forecast for state is rain/thundershowers are very likely at many places in West UP and at isolated places in East UP. A warning was issued for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning at isolated places over the state. Heavy rain is very likely at isolated places over the state....