New Delhi: After a week-long heat wave with the mercury crossing 40 degrees Celsius almost every day, there is hope for some respite with the prediction of “no heatwave conditions likely for next five days” over northwest India.
The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast came on Saturday following fairly widespread rainfall over Delhi, the National Capital Region (NCR), Punjab and Haryana due to a Western disturbance on Friday.
The weather office also predicted that the maximum temperature over the plains of northwest India is likely to fall by 3-4 degrees Celsius on Saturday.
It, however, also clarified that “no significant change is likely thereafter”.
As predicted, the IMD said, heat wave conditions have abated in the plains of northwest India with only isolated heatwave over Delhi and Haryana on Friday.
The maximum temperature hovered between 40 to 43.5 degrees Celsius across northwest India for the last one week while the minimum temperature ranged between 27 to 31 degrees Celsius.
Prevailing meteorological conditions, large scale atmospheric features and the forecast wind pattern by dynamical models suggest that no favourable conditions are likely to develop for further advance of the southwest monsoon into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and Punjab during the next five days, the IMD added.
Under the influence of strong, moist southwesterly winds at the lower tropospheric levels from the Bay of Bengal to the northeast and adjoining east India a trough at mean sea level from northwest Rajasthan to Nagaland prevails.
Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall is also very likely over Bihar, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya during the next five days.
The IMD also predicted moderate to severe thunderstorm accompanied by frequent cloud to ground lightning as very likely over Bihar, Jharkhand, north Chhattisgarh and Gangetic West Bengal during the next 24 hours.
“This may cause injuries leading to casualties to people and animals staying outdoors.”
