The India Meterological Department on Monday issued a heatwave alert for Delhi, south Haryana, south Uttar Pradesh, north Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Bihar. Speaking to ANI, IMD scientist Soma Sen Roy said, “We have issued heatwave alert for today for south Haryana, Delhi, south UP, north MP, Jharkhand, Bihar and Bengal. Tomorrow, heatwave alert is not given for any place other than Jharkhand". "Yes, there is a strong possibility that is likely," she said when asked if there will be relief from the heatwave from tomorrow.
She said that because of the Western disturbances the heatwave conditions will ameliorate. "...The change is that moisture incursion is there in northwest India...We are expecting that Rajasthan temperatures will fall slightly but heatwave conditions will persist over south Haryana, south UP, parts of Delhi, north, northeast MP, Jharkhand, Bihar and south Bengal. This entire belt is likely to see heatwave conditions even today. From tomorrow we will see amelioration because there is a fresh western disturbance coming...So, we are expecting that temperatures will start to fall over this entire region and heatwave conditions will ameliorate," said Soma Sen Roy, as quoted by ANI.
The weather office said that heatwaves were observed in parts of South Uttar Pradesh, West Rajasthan, North East Madhya Pradesh, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand. The IMD also said that the heatwave condition is gong to abate in several parts of India from Tomorrow. The MeT department issued a yellow alert for today.
According to reports, Chandigarh has been witnessing a lot of heat for the previous two days. The temperature on Sunday crossed 40 degrees Celsius and the temperature could cross 40 degrees Celsius on Monday as well. The effect of heat is also seen in Punjab and Haryana, the temperature has been recorded up to 44 degrees in many places. Due to Western Disturbance, it may rain in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh in the coming two days.
On May 21, Varanasi witnessed scorching summer as the temperature soared above 40 degrees Celsius. Health experts advised the residents to stay hydrated to battle the blazing heat wave.
A heatwave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western parts of India, according to National Disaster Management Authority. Heatwaves typically occur between March and June, and in some rare cases even extend till July.