At 46.5°C, Nagpur is second-hottest location in India

CHURU IN WEST RAJASTHAN WAS THE HOTTEST AT 46.6 DEGREES CELSIUS, ACCORDING TO IMD

Nagpur was the hottest location in the state and the second-hottest in India on Saturday as heatwave conditions gripped the city and surrounding areas of the Vidarbha subdivision.

Nagpur’s maximum temperature on Saturday was 46.5 degrees Celsius, 3.7 degree Celsius above normal, which is the season’s highest maximum temperature so far, the weather bureau said. The second-highest maximum temperature in the state was recorded at Akola at 46 degrees Celsius.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD’S) bulletin issued at 9pm, Churu in west Rajasthan was the hottest at 46.6 degrees Celsius.

An orange alert (be prepared) for heatwave conditions has been issued for all districts in Vidarbha till May 27, while a yellow alert (be alert) has been issued for Marathwada for Sunday and Monday.

Severe heatwaves are likely to impact parts of northwest, central and peninsular India in the next four to five days, while many parts of northeast India will experience very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall during the same period, IMD said in a statement on Saturday

The heatwave is likely to affect relief and rehabilitation work related to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic that is ongoing across many parts of the country.

However, with a lockdown still in effect across India, albeit with considerable relaxation of restrictions, there is not likely to be as much movement of people or vehicles as there might have been otherwise.

“Extremely hot conditions are expected to continue and for this reason we have escalated the level of alert for isolated areas in Vidarbha. Nagpur and Akola were the hottest in the state on Saturday, and could very well be the hottest over the next couple of days. During this period, hot and dry northwesterly winds come from Rajasthan and Gujarat over this region leading to this heat wave. This is the normal weather synoptic feature during this time of the year,” said ML Sahu, deputy director general of meteorology, IMD Nagpur.