Heatwave warning: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heat wave warning for Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas for today (May 22), after several parts of the capital recorded maximum temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius on Sunday.
The regional meteorological centre in its bulletin stated that Delhi is likely to witness a partly cloudy sky with heatwave conditions at isolated places with strong winds (speed 25-35 kmph) during the day. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle at 43 and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Mercury touches 46°C
According to the Met office, the temperature in South West Delhi's Najafgarh touched 46 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the season's highest maximum temperature. Other parts of the national capital also witnessed very high temperatures. The observatories at Narela and Pitampura recorded 45 degrees Celsius whereas Ayanagar and Ridge reported 44 degrees Celsius. Palam recorded 43.8 degrees Celsius. The observatory at Safdarjung recorded a maximum temperature of 42.9 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season's average.
On Sunday, relative humidity levels were between 25 per cent and 74 per cent. The night temperature had settled three notches below normal at 24 degrees Celsius, the weather office said.
As per the met officials, a fresh western disturbance could bring relief from the hot weather conditions from May 24 with light rain and cloudy weather expected for three to four days.
Heatwave conditions in other parts of India
As per the IMD, heatwave conditions are likely over west Rajasthan, south Haryana, southern parts of Uttar Pradesh and Gangetic West Bengal on 22 and over Jharkhand on May 22. Maximum temperatures are expected to rise over several parts of India over the coming few days.
Maximum temperatures are expected to rise by two to three degree Celsius over Northwest India during the next three days and fall by three to five degree Celsius thereafter. Meanwhile, no significant change in maximum temperature is very likely over the rest parts of the country during the next five days.
Rainfall prediction in parts of India
The Met Department also predicted a wet spell over northwest India due to an active Western Disturbance between May 23 and 25. As per the weather agency, a fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from May 23.
“Under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with thunderstorm/lightning/gusty winds over Western Himalayan Region and isolated to scattered rainfall over plains of northwest India mainly during 23rd to 25th and decrease thereafter," the IMD stated.
A thundersquall (speed 50-60 kmph) with hail and lightning is likely over Uttarakhand on May 24 and 25. Heavy rainfall is predicted at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir Himachal Pradesh on May 23.
Rainfall is also predicted over central, southern, northeast and East India over the next few days.
(With agencies input)
