Heatwave Alert: India Braces For Scorching Summer As IMD Forecasts Further Rise In Temperature

Heatwave alert in India: People in various states have been bearing the brunt of the soaring temperatures over the past week. The IMD has forecast even hotter days ahead.

Heatwave Alert: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of a scorching summer this year with more than the usual number of heat wave days. As per IMD's prediction, the above normal heat wave days during April are likely over many parts of the southern peninsula, some parts of east India, northwest central India, and the plains of northwest India.

Heatwave Conditions Predicted By IMD

IMD predicted on Friday that heatwave conditions are very likely to prevail in isolated pockets of Vidarbha, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, Rayalaseema, Gangetic West Bengal, North interior Karnataka, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Telangana on April 5 and April 6.

Hot and humid weather conditions are also very likely to prevail over Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Mahe, Puducherry, and Karaikal during April 4-8. Coastal Karnataka, Konkan, and Goa are also predicted to experience hot and humid weather during April 5-7.

IMD has stated that the central and western peninsular parts of India will likely be the ones to face the worst impact of the heatwave during April- June. The weather department has named Gujarat, central Maharashtra, north Karnataka as the most heatwave-prone areas followed by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, north Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

Maximum Temperatures

Yesterday, the highest maximum temperature on plains was recorded at 43.3 degree Celsius at Anantapur in Rayalaseema. 

The temperature above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) was recorded at most places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Interior Karnataka,West Bengal, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, and Vidarbha. 

Additionally, many places over Uttarakhand, Odisha, Marathwada, Kerala and Mahe also recorded above normal temperature.

A few places over Madhya Maharashtra, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, experienced above normal temperatures.

Delhi Weather

Although the people in the national capital found some relief from the heat on Friday, Delhi continues to experience a steady rise in daytime temperatures. According to the India Meteorological Department, strong winds are expected during the daytime on Saturday (April 6) as well. However, these is a possibility of further increase in temperature.

According to the weather department, people are asked not to expect relief from the heat for another five days. IMD also predicted that the temperatures will likely increase, but the weather is expected to remain clear until April 11. There is also a possibility that the temperatures may rise from 36 degrees to 39 degrees Celsius.

Above Average Temperatures In The Capital

The minimum temperature in Delhi on April 5 (Friday) was recorded at 20.2 degrees Celsius, which was one degree Celsius higher than the average temeprature. According to IMD, the maximum temperature recorded was 36.4 degrees Celsius, which was two degrees higher than normal.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department, on Friday, there were clouds during the day accompanied by strong winds. Humidity was recorded at 52 percent at around 8:30 in the morning on April 5.