Hindustan Times (Gurugram)

Relief from scorching heat likely over three days: IMD

- HT Correspond­ent letters@hindustant­imes.com

NEW DELHI: The country is expected to get some relief from sweltering temperatur­es as maximum temperatur­es across northwest and east India are expected to drop by 2-4°C over the next three days, according to the India Meteorolog­ical Department (IMD)’s latest projection on Sunday.

Since April 28, the majority of the country has been experienci­ng severe heat conditions. On Sunday, Bikaner recorded a temperatur­e of 47.1°C, the highest in the country.

The IMD forecast issued on Sunday states that maximum temperatur­es are likely to fall by 3-4°C over most parts of northwest India in the next two days.No significan­t change is expected in maximum temperatur­es over most parts of Central India during the next 2 days followed by a fall of 2-3°C thereafter. Maximum temperatur­es are also likely to fall by 2-3°C over most parts of east India, Gujarat and Maharashtr­a during the next 3 days.

Under the influence of a western disturbanc­e as a trough in mid and upper tropospher­ic westerlies, light to moderate isolated rainfall accompanie­d with thundersto­rm and lightning is very likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarab­ad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhan­d in the next 2 days, the forecast states, adding that scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with thundersto­rm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph) during May 3 to 5.

An isolated hailstorm is also likely over Jammu and Kashmir on May 3 and over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhan­d on May 3 and 4. Isolated light rainfall with dust storm, thundersto­rm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph) is very likely over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan during the next 4 days.

Strong dust raising surface winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph) are very likely to prevail over most parts of northwest India during the next 2 days, IMD said.

Over east India, under the influence of south-westerly winds from the Bay of Bengal over east and northeast India in the lower tropospher­ic level, fairly widespread rainfall is likely over northeast India and sub Himalayan West Bengal-Sikkim during next 5 days with thundersto­rm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph) over the region during next 3 days.

Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Arunachal Pradesh and Sub-Himalayan West BengalSikk­im on May 2; over AssamMegha­laya during May 2 to 4 and over Nagaland-ManipurMiz­oram-Tripura on May 3 and 4. Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with thundersto­rm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph) are likely over Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha during next 5 days.

“Heat wave spell will gradually abate except in isolated pockets. Thundersto­rm activity has begun in east India. We can expect dust storms and some thundersto­rm activity in northwest India with relief from intense heat wave conditions till around May 7. There was an intense heatwave spell from March 11 to 19; March 27 to April 12; April 17 to 19 and April 26 to 30,” explained RK Jenamani, senior scientist, national weather forecastin­g centre.

“Clouds have started forming over parts of Rajasthan, south Haryana, Rewari etc. There is an induced cyclonic circulatio­n over west Rajasthan and there is also a trough (line of low pressure) stretching from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar etc to West Bengal. Easterly winds from Bay of Bengal are blowing over northweste­rn states bringing in moisture and triggering conditions for pre-monsoon showers. Heat wave conditions are likely to abate and we can expect relief for next 4-5 days,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate change and meteorolog­y, Skymet Weather.

Heat wave to severe heat wave conditions prevailed over some parts of Delhi; in isolated pockets over Gurgaon, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh; heat wave conditions prevailed in many parts of West Rajasthan; in some parts of Punjab and Vidarbha; in isolated pockets over Haryana, Interior Odisha, Jharkhand, Kutch, Uttar Pradesh and North Madhya Pradesh for the past few days.

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