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Unusually high day, night temps recorded across northwest India
Orange and yellow alerts asking agencies to be prepared to deal with emergencies have been issued for most of the region for Thursday amid an increased likelihood of heat illnesses
Unusually high day and night temperatures were recorded across northwest India on Tuesday and Wednesday, even as some respite was expected later in the week with thunderstorm activity in parts of the region on Friday and Saturday, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Orange and yellow alerts asking agencies to be prepared to deal with emergencies have been issued for most of the region for Thursday amid an increased likelihood of heat illnesses among those exposed to the sun for a prolonged period or doing heavy work. Infants, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases face a higher risk.
Heat wave or severe heat wave conditions were recorded in parts of western and eastern Rajasthan, Saurashtra, Kutch, and isolated pockets of Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and western Uttar Pradesh. Isolated pockets of southern Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Saurashtra, Kutch, and western Madhya Pradesh faced warm night conditions.
The mercury went up to 41°C, or 5.9 degrees above normal, at Safdarjung, which is representative of Delhi’s weather. A minimum temperature of 25.6°C recorded there on Wednesday was 5.6 degrees above normal.
IMD said heat wave conditions were expected again in Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi from April 15 after a minor drop in temperatures following thunderstorm activity on Friday and Saturday.
Maximum temperatures remained above normal by 4-7°C at most places in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya on Tuesday. In Uttar Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, central Maharashtra, Marathwada, Konkan, and Goa, maximum temperatures were above normal by 1-3 degrees.
Private forecaster Skymet Weather vice president (climate and meteorology) Mahesh Palawat said very high day and night temperatures are usually recorded in late April or May. He added that humidity has also increased as the wind direction has changed to easterly. “We can expect some thunderstorm activity in parts of northwest India, including Delhi, from Thursday evening or Friday.”
He said a western disturbance and induced cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan was likely to trigger thunderstorm activity.
IMD director general M Mohapatra said an anti-cyclone over Saurashtra was causing subsidence and extremely hot conditions in northwest India. “Models are showing that the anti-cyclone will move away to the Arabian Sea by April 10-11. The change in wind circulation will bring relief to the region. A western disturbance is also expected to impact the western Himalayan region. This can cause cloudy conditions and light rainfall in the northern plains, including Delhi. These two systems are expected to bring relief.”
Under the influence of western disturbance, thunderstorms, lightning, gusty or squally winds were expected in northwest India on Thursday and Friday, significantly impacting the heat wave conditions. Thunderstorms and lightning were likely in eastern and northeastern India until Friday.
Scattered to fairly widespread light or moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, hailstorms, lightning, and gusty winds (speed 40-50 kmph) were likely in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad. Isolated to scattered rainfall was expected in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday and Friday. A dust storm is likely at isolated places in western Rajasthan until Friday.
