Heatwave, severe heatwave conditions likely till May 24 in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, UP, MP: IMD

Heatwave in India: Delhi residents woke up to an unusually hot day on Monday. However it is not only Delhi-NCR, several regions across the country are likely to witness heatwave to severe heatwave in the coming days. 

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue over the plains of Northwest India, while heatwave conditions are expected over north Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat during the next five days. 

HEATWAVE PREDICTION FOR NEXT 5 DAYS

The weather department said that maximum temperatures were in the range of 43-47 degree Celsius in most places over Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi and Rajasthan, in many parts of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and west Madhya Pradesh, and in some places over east Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat state.  

Many parts of Vidarbha, pockets of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Maharashtra and plains of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand witnessed temperatures in the range of 40-42 degree Celsius. These were above normal by 2-4 degree Celsius over many parts of Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, some parts of Saurashtra and Kutch and in isolated pockets of Rajasthan, stated IMD.

The weather department said that a gradual rise by about 2-3 degree Celsius in maximum temperatures is likely over many parts of Northwest & Central India during the next five days.

In the rest of the country, however, there is no prediction for significant change in maximum temperatures. 

Heatwave to severe heat wave conditions are very likely in many/most pockets over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, West Rajasthan, some parts of west Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan and northwest Madhya Pradesh during May 20-24 period and east Uttar Pradesh on May 20.

Isolated pockets of east Uttar Pradesh are expected to witness heatwave conditions on May 21 and 22, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat state and northeast Madhya Pradesh on May 20-24, Uttarakhand, Bihar on May 20, and Odisha during May 21 and 23.

Hot and humid weather is very likely to prevail over Konkan & Goa, Bihar, Jharkhand on May 20 and 21, Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha on May 20. Warm night conditions are very likely to prevail over west Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan during May 20-24. 

HEATWAVE IN THE LAST 24 HRS

In the past 24 hours till 8:30 am on Monday, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were observed in most parts of Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, in many parts of Punjab and isolated pockets of West Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and northwest Madhya Pradesh. Heatwave conditions were observed in many parts of West Rajasthan, some parts of Himachal Pradesh and East Rajasthan, isolated pockets of East Uttar Pradesh, and northeast Madhya Pradesh. 

Gujarat has been witnessing heatwave conditions since May 15, Saurashtra and Kutch since May 16 and Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan since May 17. Rajasthan experienced warm night conditions, the IMD said. 

The highest maximum temperature was recorded in Delhi’s Najafgarh at 47.8 degree Celsius, followed by Agra at 47.7 degree Celsius over the country. This is the highest maximum temperature of this summer season, the IMD said.