New Delhi: After respite from the sweltering heat for a brief period, northwestern and parts of central India are again in the grip of heatwave, with temperatures shooting above 44 degrees Celsius in several towns and cities, news agency PTI reported on Saturday. According to the latest forecast by India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave conditions are likely over Rajasthan, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Vidarbha, south Uttar Pradesh and north Madhya Pradesh, over the next 2-3 days.
"Strong surface winds with speed of 30-40 kmph were very likely over Rajasthan and northwest Madhya Pradesh on June 4-5," PTI quoted IMD as saying.
As per reports, Chandrapur in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra recorded the highest maximum temperature of 46.4 degrees Celsius on Friday, while at least 40 towns and cities across the northwest and central parts of India recorded a maximum temperature of 44 degrees and above.
The weather department further said that the maximum temperature is expected to rise by two degrees Celsius over most parts of northwest and central India.
According to the PTI report, temperatures have mostly remained on the higher side across parts of northwest and central India due to absence of thunderstorms induced by the western disturbance or extra-tropical weather systems that occur during the pre-monsoon months of March to May.
It is to be noted that northwest India experienced the season's first thunderstorm on May 24, bringing down the mercury across the region.
Meanwhile, IMD has forecast a rise in rainfall activity over southern peninsula from June 7 onwards. It has also predicted rains in northeast India and sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim over the next five days.