Weather Department Issues Heavy Rain, Strong Wind and Heatwave Alerts Across Multiple States
Delhi residents are likely to experience temporary relief from the intense summer heat as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light rainfall, thunderstorms and strong winds in the national capital over the next 24 hours. The change in weather comes after several days of soaring temperatures and heatwave conditions across north India.
According to the IMD, Delhi is expected to witness partly cloudy skies during the day, gradually becoming generally cloudy by evening. Light rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds is likely during the evening and night hours. Wind speeds may reach 50-60 kmph and could gust up to 70 kmph during storm activity.
The maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to remain between 42°C and 44°C, while minimum temperatures may settle around 27°C to 29°C. Strong surface winds throughout the day are also expected to bring some relief from the prevailing hot conditions.
Heavy Rainfall Likely Across Eastern and Southern States
The IMD has forecast widespread rainfall activity across several regions of the country over the coming days. Heavy rainfall warnings have been issued for Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Several other states including Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are also expected to receive heavy showers in the coming days as thunderstorm activity intensifies across the country.
Meteorologists said thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are likely over Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Strong Winds, Hailstorms and Dust Storm Alerts Issued
The weather department has also warned of thundersqualls over Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. Wind speeds during these storm systems may reach between 60 kmph and 80 kmph in isolated areas.
Hailstorm activity is likely over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and parts of Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, dust storm conditions may affect isolated areas of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
The IMD has also warned fishermen and coastal authorities about squally weather conditions over parts of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, where wind speeds may touch 65 kmph.
Heatwave Conditions Continue in Several Regions
Despite increasing rainfall activity in some parts of the country, severe heatwave conditions are expected to continue across isolated pockets of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Vidarbha.
Heatwave conditions are also likely to persist over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh during the daytime. Coastal regions including Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh may continue to experience hot and humid weather conditions.
Weather experts said fluctuating temperatures, combined with moisture and unstable atmospheric conditions, are contributing to the simultaneous occurrence of heatwaves and thunderstorms across different parts of India.
Southwest Monsoon Advances Further
In a positive development, the IMD stated that conditions remain favourable for the further advancement of the southwest monsoon over additional parts of the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep, the Bay of Bengal and northeastern India over the next few days.
The current Northern Limit of Monsoon passes through parts of the Arabian Sea, central Bay of Bengal and northeastern states, indicating a gradual strengthening of monsoon activity across the region.
Meteorologists believe the progress of the southwest monsoon could help bring wider rainfall coverage and further reduce temperatures in several heat-affected regions during the coming weeks.