IMD warns of high maximum temperatures, heatwaves over northwest, central India
There is likely to be a gradual rise in maximum temperatures by 2-3 degrees Celsius over northwest and eastern India over the next seven days.
Heatwave conditions are likely to grip central India and the plains of northwest India till April 29 and over eastern India till April 26, the India Meteorological Department warned on Wednesday.
There is likely to be a gradual rise in maximum temperatures by 2-3 degrees Celsius over northwest and eastern India over the next seven days, the weather department said in its forecast.
Heatwave is expected over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, western Madhya Pradesh and western Rajasthan till April 29; eastern Madhya Pradesh till April 27; Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha (Maharashtra), Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal till April 26; Chhattisgarh till April 25; central Maharashtra and Marathwada region on April 24-25.
Warm night conditions are also very likely in isolated pockets over Bihar till April 25, Odisha on April 23-24 and West Bengal on April 24-25, the IMD said.
“Winds have changed to westerly and north-westerly direction, so we are expecting a gradual increase in temperatures. Heatwave conditions may set in. Delhi is likely to record maximum temperatures of up to 42 degrees Celsius. Heatwave is expected over parts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, etc.,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate and meteorology, Skymet Weather.
However, heavy rainfall spell is expected to continue over northeast India till April 27, while a fresh spell of rainfall, accompanied with thunderstorms and lightning, is likely over eastern India from April 26.
On Tuesday, the maximum temperatures were in the range of 42-46 degree Celsius at most places over eastern Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh; at many places over eastern Uttar Pradesh, Odisha; at a few places over western Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, central Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Kutch, Telangana; at isolated places over Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Marathwada; and in the range of 38-42 degree Celsius at most places over Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi; at many places over Punjab, Rayalaseema; at a few places over Gujarat, north interior Karnataka, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal. On Tuesday, the highest maximum temperature was reported at Jharsuguda (Odisha) at 46.2 degrees Celsius.
An upper air cyclonic circulation is lying over east Bihar in lower tropospheric levels. A north-south trough is passing from north Chhattisgarh to the Gulf of Mannar in lower tropospheric levels, the IMD said.
“An upper air cyclonic circulation is also lying over northeast Assam and another over south coastal Tamil Nadu. Under the influence of these systems, widespread light/moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph) is likely over northeast India during next seven days; heavy rainfall over Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh till April 27; over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura till April 26 with very heavy rainfall over Arunachal Pradesh on April 23 and 24 and over Assam and Meghalaya on April 23 and 26,” the IMD said in its forecast.
Isolated hailstorm activity is likely over Jharkhand on April 27, the weather department added.
