IMD issues a severe heatwave warning for Delhi, parts of MP
NEW DELHI: A severe heat wave has gripped Delhi and parts of Madhya Pradesh, where mercury touched 47 degrees Celsius on Sunday at Nowgong, while at least sixteen towns and cities in central and northwest India recorded temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius and above.
“Heatwave conditions also prevailed over some parts of Vidarbha and over isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, west Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh,” an official from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
In Delhi, Safdarjung, the base station for the national capital, recorded 44.2 degrees Celsius, while Mungeshpur observatory in northwest Delhi, reported 47.3 degrees Celsius.
The weather office said there will be no significant change in the maximum temperatures over most parts of northwest India over the next four to five days.
It said there will be no significant change in temperature over Central India over the next two days and the mercury was expected to slide by two to three degrees thereafter.
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon has covered the entire north-east with Assam and Meghalaya experiencing heavy rainfall activity in the 24 hours ending 8:30 am on Sunday.
Rajasthan capital Jaipur recorded a maximum temperature of 42.6 degrees Celsius.
No significant change in the temperatures is expected in the next 48 hours, a spokesperson of the IMD said. He said the effect of dry westerly winds will continue over most parts of Rajasthan during the next week and the weather will remain dry at most places.
Pre-monsoon activities are likely to start in some parts of the state after June 14-15. However, for the next three days, relatively strong dusty winds with a speed of 25-35 kilometres per hour are likely in the districts of Jodhpur and Bikaner.
The IMD forecast an increase in rainfall activity over the southern peninsula from Tuesday onwards. It said squally weather with wind speed 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph were very likely over the southwest Arabian Sea during the next three days and advised fishermen not to venture into these areas.
NEW DELHI: An ‘orange alert’ was issued for a severe heatwave in Delhi and neighbouring areas of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday. The weather department had already issued a yellow alert in the national capital for the day.
“Orange alert in Delhi. Severe heatwave from June 4 in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, UP and parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan. Temperature varying between 44°-47°C shall continue for four more days. We advise people to venture out carefully as the heat spell is very severe,” said RK Jenamani, senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department. He further said monsoon was yet to begin anywhere in the northern part of the country. “We are monitoring. Monsoons in Delhi are still far,” the IMD scientist said.
Delhi has been reeling under a spell of heatwave for the past two days. On Sunday, the capital city recorded a maximum temperature in excess of 44.8 degrees. The hottest location was Mungeshpur, recorded at 47.3°C, while Sports Complex in Akshardham sizzled at 46.6°C, Najafgarh at 46.3°C, Pitampura 46.2°C, Ridge 45.7°C and Jafarpur (45.1°C).
The IMD said that no relief is likely till at least June 10, following which Delhi may witness isolated rain activity under the influence of a fresh western disturbance.
At the same time, the Met department forecasted an increase in rainfall activity over the northeast and southern peninsula from Tuesday onwards. “In the northeastern parts, heavy rainfall is expected. Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh have been issued warnings,” Jenamani said.
“Intense spell of rainfall likely to continue over Northeast India and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during next five days,” the IMD said in an earlier tweet. A heatwave is declared over the plains if the maximum temperature is 40°C or higher and 4.5 degrees above normal, with this criterion being satisfied over two consecutive days.