Heatwave Batters India, UP's Prayagraj Among Hotest At 44.2 Degrees, Rain In Rajasthan Soon. Key Points

According to the IMD, a western disturbance active over the western Himalayan area will deliver light rain to the northwestern plains beginning Tuesday.

This is the fourth day in a row that the maximum temperature has risen beyond 40 degrees Celsius.

Source : PTI

The heatwave continued unabated on Tuesday, with temperatures ranging from 40 to 44 degrees Celsius over much of the nation, with Hamirpur and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh reaching 44.2 degrees. The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's major meteorological station, recorded a maximum temperature of 40.4 degrees Celsius, four degrees higher than typical. This is the fourth day in a row that the maximum temperature has risen beyond 40 degrees Celsius. The Pusa and Pitampura regions witnessed heat wave conditions, with maximum temperatures ranging from 41.6 to 41.9 degrees Celsius, news agency PTI reported.

According to the IMD, a western disturbance active over the western Himalayan area will deliver light rain to the northwestern plains beginning Tuesday.

The MeT office forecasted above-normal maximum temperatures for most of the nation from April to June, with the exception of the northwest and peninsular areas, earlier this month.

During this time, much of central, eastern, and northwest India should expect above-normal temperatures.

Key Updates:

Delhi: On Tuesday, sections of Delhi saw a third day of nonstop heat, with several meteorological stations registering high temperatures at least five degrees Celsius over average. From Wednesday, heat wave could be somewhat mitigated by cloud cover and light rain, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Bihar: The meteorological service has issued a 'orange' notice, warning of extreme heatwave conditions in Patna, Banka, Jamui, Nawada, Aurangabad, Supaul, and numerous other districts of Bihar for two days beginning Tuesday. A 'yellow' warning has also been issued in the state's Begusarai, Nalanda, Gaya, Arwal, Bhojpur, Rohtas, Buxar, Khagaria, and Munger areas. For weather warnings, the meteorological agency employs four colour codes: green (no action required), yellow (watch and remain informed), orange (be prepared), and red (take action). "People are advised to avoid heat exposure and dehydration," according to a senior official from the Bihar Disaster Management Department.

West Bengal: Bankura had the highest temperature in West Bengal, at 43.7 degrees Celsius, while Kolkata had the lowest, at 40 degrees Celsius.

Haryana & Punjab: Hot weather conditions persisted in Haryana and Punjab, with maximum temperatures above 40 degrees in most sections of the two states. According to a meteorological department report, blistering heat swept through Hisar in Haryana, with the mercury settling at 41.4 degrees Celsius. Karnal likewise had a scorching day with a high of 40.7 degrees Celsius. Ambala had a high of 39.7 degrees Celsius, Narnaul had a high of 40.2 degrees Celsius, and Bhiwani had a high of 39.6 degrees Celsius.

The highest temperature in Bathinda, Punjab, was 41 degrees Celsius. The temperature in Amritsar was 36.6 degrees Celsius and 41.2 degrees Celsius in Patiala. The temperature in Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states, reached 39.4 degrees Celsius.

Uttar Pradesh: Prayagraj and Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh were the warmest, with temperatures reaching 44.2 degrees Celsius, with the meteorological service forecasting rain/thundershowers in scattered areas in the state's west. Lucknow had a high temperature of 41.3 degrees Celsius and a low temperature of 24.5 degrees Celsius.

Rajasthan: The desert state of Rajasthan also experienced an increase in temperature, with Chittorgarh recording 43.2°C, followed by Kota (42.8°C), Banswara (42.7°C), Phalodi (42.2°C), Dholpur (42°C), Alwar and Sawai Madhopur (41.7°C each), Tonk (41.6°C), Churu and Pilani (41.4°C each), Barmer (41.2°C), and Jaipur (40°C). On April 19 and 20, the MeT has forecast mild rain and thunderstorms for the divisions of Jodhpur and Bikaner as well as Jaipur, Ajmer, and Bharatpur. Additionally, it indicated that temperatures will drop by 2-3 degrees during the next two days.

Himachal Pradesh: People in the lower hills of Himachal who were suffering from the sweltering sun found some comfort when small showers occurred in many locations, causing maximum temperatures to dip by a few degrees. Una had a high of 37.4 degrees, while Dhaulakuan had the highest temperature in the area at 38.7 degrees. Shimla, Manali, Dharamsala, and Narkanda, well-known tourist sites, had highs of 25.4 degrees, 21 degrees, 28.2 degrees, and 19.2 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Andhra Pradesh: On Tuesday, the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) predicted that a mandal will experience a severe heat wave and that 117 other mandals would experience heat waves. "While the heat wave is expected to hit seven mandals in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, 16 in Anakapalli, four in East Godavari, two each in Eluru, Palnadu, Visakhapatnam and Nandyala, six in Gunturu and 10 in Krishna," the disaster management department said in a statement.

Jammu & Kashmir: Officials said on Tuesday that although the lowlands in Kashmir had heavy rainfall, some parts in the higher elevations received new snowfall. Near the Line of Control (LoC), Machil received about three inches of snow. According to them, overnight showers pelted the plain areas, including Srinagar city, and caused the temperature to drop. The weather service predicted that rain showers will likely persist till Tuesday night. On Wednesday, many locations can expect intermittent mild to moderate rain or snowfall over higher ranges. In Jammu and Kashmir, thunderstorms with hailstorms and strong gusty winds of up to 30 kmph are also likely during this rainy spell. 

Maharashtra: A civic official stated on Tuesday that the number of people who have died from sunstroke at the "Maharashtra Bhushan" award ceremony in Navi Mumbai has risen to 14, following the death of a 34-year-old lady, while seven other patients are receiving treatment.

(With PTI Inputs)