(HT)
Heat wave conditions are likely to continue over Central India and plains of northwest India until April 29, with eastern regions affected until April 26, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned.
Maximum temperatures are expected to rise gradually by 2-3°C across northwest and east India over the coming week, while the northeast braces for heavy rainfall until April 27.
“Winds have changed to westerly and north-westerly direction so we are expecting a gradual increase in temperatures. Heat wave conditions may set in. Delhi is likely to record up to 42°C maximum temperature. Heat wave is expected over parts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and other areas,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate and meteorology, Skymet Weather.
A yellow alert has been issued for most parts of North-West and central India on April 24 and 25 while an orange alert was issued for some Eastern, Southern states, and central India including Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha over the next two days. A yellow warning implies that agencies should prepared to take action and orange alert implies that agencies should act to prevent heat related disasters.
The IMD has forecast heat wave conditions in isolated pockets across multiple regions: West Madhya Pradesh and West Rajasthan until April 29; East Madhya Pradesh until April 27; Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal until April 26; Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and East Rajasthan until April 29; Chhattisgarh until April 25; and Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada on April 24 and 25.
Warm night conditions are also expected in isolated areas of Bihar until April 25, Odisha on April 24, and Gangetic West Bengal on April 24 and 25.
On Wednesday maximum temperatures were above 43°C over several parts of Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh while the highest temperature on 45.6°C was recorded at Brahmapuri in Maharashtra.
On Tuesday, maximum temperatures reached between 42-46°C across east Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, and Chhattisgarh, with Jharsuguda in Odisha recording the day’s highest temperature at 46.2°C. Temperatures between 38-42°C were reported across Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and parts of Punjab.
A fresh spell of rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is expected over east India from April 26, and widespread precipitation with gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph (gusting to 60 kmph) is forecast across northeast India for the next seven days.
Multiple weather systems, including cyclonic circulations over east Bihar, northeast Assam, and south coastal Tamil Nadu, along with a north-south trough from north Chhattisgarh to gulf of Mannar, will bring heavy rainfall to Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh until April 27, and to Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura until April 26.
