After red alert, IMD says relief from Thursday with rains and thunderstorms
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday the heatwave is likely to start subsiding from Thursday as easterly winds will start blowing in northern parts of the country.
The weather bureau had on Sunday sounded a red category alert for Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, west and east Rajasthan for Monday and Tuesday for heatwave or severe heatwaves.
"Rain accompanied by thunderstorm will start occurring from May 29 due to easterly winds in the northern parts of India and the temperature is expected to go down to 40 degrees Celsius," Rajendra Kumar Jenamani, head of Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI on Monday.
IMD's bulletin said that heatwave conditions were also likely over Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Telangana during the next four to five days.
Similar conditions were predicted in some pockets over Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Marathwada, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalseema and north-interior Karnataka during next three to four days.
A red category alert implies authorities should take action to avoid health emergencies.
Delhi recorded the maximum temperature hitting five degrees above normal for the second consecutive day on Sunday.
The Safdarjung weather station recorded the maximum temperature at 44.4 degrees Celsius. In Aya Nagar, the maximum temperature was 45.6 degrees Celsius, 6 degrees above normal, and 44.2 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road.
South Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh reported heatwaves and Churu in west Rajasthan reported a severe heatwave on Sunday, with a maximum temperature of 47.4 degrees Celsius.
IMD had said Nagpur Sonegaon in the Vidarbha region recorded 46.2 degrees Celsius; Churu in Rajasthan 46.6 degrees Celsius, Akola in Maharashtra 46 degrees Celsius.
Rajendra Kumar Jenamani also said that the southwest monsoon is likely to hit Kerala next week.
"The southwest monsoon is expected to arrive over Kerala coast between June 1 and June 5 and is likely to reach Mumbai between June 15 and June 20," Jenamani said.
According to IMD, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at some places over Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh from May 24 to 28 because of strong southerly winds from the Bay of Bengal to northeastern states at lower tropospheric levels.
Heavy rainfall is also likely over parts of south-peninsular India on May 26 and 27, it had said.
(Input and image from hindustantimes.com)
