IMD: Heatwave to grip NW, Central India; rain, storms in NE over next 5 days
Gradual rise in maximum temperatures by 2–3°C is likely over NW India over the next five days, with no significant change expected in the following two days
New Delhi: Heatwave conditions are expected to return to parts of northwest and central India, while light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is likely over Northeast India in the next five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.
Areas that are likely to experience the heatwave are Vidarbha from April 21 to 23; south Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh till April 24; Rajasthan and south Haryana on April 23 and 24.
According to the IMD, a gradual rise in maximum temperatures by 2–3°C is likely in northwest India during the next five days, with no significant change expected in the following two days. Over central India and Gujarat, no significant change in maximum temperatures is expected in the next 24 hours, followed by a gradual rise of 2–3°C over the subsequent six days. In East India, maximum temperatures are likely to gradually rise by 4–6°C over the next four days.
“The maximum temperatures will rise now over NW India and central India as the intense western disturbance (WD) has moved away. The system was very intense and brought a lot of thunderstorm and rainfall activity over the hills but now we do not expect any intense WD in the next few days. Over east India also, there was a lot of thunderstorm activity but that too has stopped hence a steep rise in temperatures is likely there too,” IMD director general M Mohapatra said.
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Moderate to heavy snowfall was recorded in parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on Saturday. Thunderstorms accompanied by squally or gusty winds prevailed at isolated places across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, East Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Northeast India, Kerala & Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Interior Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalaseema, and Telangana. Hailstorms were also reported at isolated places over Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Tamil Nadu, and a few other areas.
Heatwave conditions remained confined to isolated pockets in East Rajasthan, while warm night to severe warm night conditions prevailed at isolated places across Rajasthan.
On Saturday, maximum temperatures were above normal by 5.1°C or more at isolated places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya, according to the IMD. Temperatures were also above normal by 3.1°C to 5.0°C at isolated locations in Madhya Pradesh, East Rajasthan, and Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, and above normal by 1.6°C to 3.0°C at most places in Marathwada and Vidarbha, among others.
The IMD has predicted a significant reduction in rainfall activity over the Western Himalayan region, including Jammu and Kashmir, starting April 21.
Meanwhile, a fresh spell of heavy rainfall is expected to affect Northeast India beginning April 22.
Three troughs --- a north-south trough extending from central Assam to Tripura, a second trough running from central Pakistan and adjoining northwest Rajasthan to central Bangladesh, and a third trough stretching from northeast Madhya Pradesh to the Gulf of Mannar ---- are likely to cause widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds (wind speeds reaching 30–40 km/h, gusting up to 50 km/h) over Northeast India in the next five days.
