The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of a heatwave over northwest and central India over the next three days, including parts of Delhi and northern states.
Delhi continued to experience heatwave for the second consecutive day on Saturday, with the IMD issuing a yellow alert for the capital.
The Meteorological Department warned of a possible heatwave in isolated parts of Delhi after a slight rise in the minimum temperature earlier today.
Apart from the capital, several other states, including Rajasthan, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, saw temperatures crossing the 40-degree mark at multiple places.
“The day’s maximum temperatures ranged between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius in most parts of the country except the western Himalayan region and north-eastern India bordering eastern India and the western coast. The highest maximum temperature of 45.2 degrees Celsius was reported in Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh),” the IMD bulletin said.
The Meteorological Department has predicted heatwave conditions in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and other parts of central India from April 25 to April 27.
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“Hot and humid conditions are very likely to prevail in isolated pockets over the Ganges in West Bengal on the 25th; Odisha during the 25th and 27th; Tripura, Konkan, Goa, Gujarat, coastal Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe on the 25th and 26th; and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during the 25th and 29th of April,” the IMD bulletin said.
Marginal increase in minimum temperature in Delhi
In Delhi, Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 25.2 degrees Celsius, which is 2.5 degrees above normal. The temperature at the meteorological station, as of two o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, reached 39.6 degrees Celsius, while the “feeling” temperature reached 42.4 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD.
Apart from Safdarjung, other weather stations also observed a slight increase in the minimum temperature. This comes a day after some parts of the capital were exposed to the first heat wave of the season.
The IMD classifies a heatwave when the maximum temperature is at least 4.5 degrees above normal and exceeds 40 degrees Celsius; It is also declared if the maximum touches 45°C or more. Typically, at least two stations need to meet this criterion. Moreover, the IMD declares a heatwave in Delhi only if the base station at Safdarjung is among the two stations that meet the criteria.
“Possible slight cooling effect due to cyclonic circulation.”
Mahesh Palawat, vice president of Skymet Weather, said no improvement was likely on Saturday, but said there were chances of some rain in northwest India from April 26-28.
“There may be a slight cooling effect. This is likely due to the cyclonic circulation developing over Rajasthan, with rain likely over Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, among other places in northwest India,” Palawat said, according to an earlier HT report.
The International Meteorological Institute expected the weather on Sunday to be partly cloudy with surface winds reaching speeds of 35 kilometers per hour. However, there is no color-coded alert for Sunday yet. The Meteorological Department expected the weather today, Monday, to be accompanied by thunder, with the possibility of light rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Temperatures in Rajasthan also reach 40 degrees
Apart from Delhi, temperatures in other northern, central and eastern parts of the country also crossed the 40-degree mark. In Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, temperatures reached 42.5 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degrees above normal for this season.
Rajasthan also faced sweltering conditions on Saturday, with Barmer recording the highest temperature of 44.8 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD. Most parts of the state witnessed maximum temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
In Odisha, Rourkela and Jharsuguda recorded maximum temperatures of 42 degrees Celsius. In Malkarangiri district, while the temperature was below 40 degrees at 37 degrees Celsius, the “feel” temperature was 52 degrees Celsius, according to the Meteorological Department.
