Heatwave set to abate today, thundershowers to bring respite

New Delhi: The prevailing heatwave conditions over Rajasthan, Vidarbha in Maharashtra and pockets around Delhi will abate starting Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.

The maximum temperatures over northwest India is set to fall by three-four degrees Celsius and remain so until Friday, IMD officials said. Many places in west Rajasthan and Vidarbha had been recording over 45 degrees Celsius all through last week.

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 40.8 degrees Celsius on Monday, which was two notches above normal for this time of the year.

The Safdarjung Observatory — the capital's base station — had recorded a maximum temperature of 43.5 degrees Celsius, the highest on a day in April in 12 years, for three consecutive days ending Saturday.

Kolkata, on Monday, registered the highest temperature at 34.7 degrees Celsius.

From Thursday onwards, most parts of north and central India will be free from the heatwave. Besides, there are chances of thunderstorms and rain over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and all southern states till Friday.

"This is under the influence of the approaching western disturbance. Rainfall over the southern peninsula will be caused by the wind discontinuity in lower levels," IMD officials said.

Likewise, central India too will experience a reduction in heat as the day temperatures will decrease by two-three degrees Celsius for the next three days.

However, Maharashtra and Gujarat may continue to experience hotter days this week, with a heatwave forecast on Thursday and Friday over Madhya Maharashtra.