According to IMD’s latest weather forecast, heatwave conditions are expected to persist over East India until May 5 and over South Peninsular India until May 6.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the ongoing heatwave spell in east and south peninsular India will continue until May 5-6 and abate thereafter. Above-normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country in May, with a significantly high number of heatwave days expected over the northern plains, central region, and adjoining areas of peninsular India, the Met office stated on Wednesday.
According to IMD’s latest weather forecast, heatwave conditions are expected to persist over East India until May 5 and over South Peninsular India until May 6, after which they are expected to diminish. Additionally, heavy to very heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds, is highly likely over Northeast India on May 5 and 6.
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Record-breaking heatwave spell in several states
The record-breaking heatwave spell affecting east India and parts of the southern peninsular region continued unabated on Friday, with temperatures settling above 44 degrees Celsius in at least 13 places. Intensely hot conditions prevailed in parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
IMD data shows that heatwaves this April were far worse than in 2023, the warmest year on record so far. April witnessed record-smashing maximum temperatures in east, northeast, and southern peninsular India, prompting health warnings from government agencies and some states to suspend in-person classes in schools. A number of stations recorded their highest-ever April day temperatures.
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This trend is likely to continue in May, with around eight to 11 heatwave days predicted over south Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada, and the Gujarat regions.
The remaining parts of Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and some parts of Chhattisgarh, interior Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, north interior Karnataka, and Telangana may record five to seven heatwave days during the month.
Normally, the northern plains, central India, and adjoining areas of peninsular India experience around three days of heatwaves in May.
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Heavy rainfall in Northeast
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall in the hill district of Dima Hasao has led to flooding and landslides, causing communication disruptions. Various areas of the district, including Haflong Town, are flooded due to the intense rainfall. Railway services have also been affected by landslides between Jatinga-Lampur and New Harangajao.
IMD also said that isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya, as well as Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura on May 5 and 6, with isolated heavy rainfall over Sikkim on May 5.
