BackBackHeatwave alert! IMD issues red alert for Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh; rains to lash Kerala

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for five states on Thursday, May 23, namely Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, forecasting severe heatwave conditions. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat are on Orange alert today.

As per IMD's weather report, heatwave conditions are expected over Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh till May 26; in Delhi till May 23; in Uttar Pradesh from May 24 to May 26 and in Maharashtra till May 25.

The weather bulletin further goes on to state, “Heatwave to severe heat wave conditions very likely in most parts of West Rajasthan; in many/some pockets over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, East Rajasthan and West Uttar Pradesh during 22nd to 26th; in isolated pockets of northwest Madhya Pradesh & Delhi during 24th-26th May."

Considering the realised temperatures yesterday which reached a maximum of 48 degree Celsius in Rajasthan's Barmer. Haryana's Sirsa and Uttar Pradesh's Agra also recorded extremely high temperature.

Meanwhile, IMD issued a heavy rain warning in some southern states of India. The weather department said that isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal on May 22 and 23; Lakshadweep on May 22; Kerala and Mahe on May 23, 2024, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall over Kerala on May 22nd."

The weather forecast for the north-eastern states predicts heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya on May 26. Additionally, residents of Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, and Jharkhand can expect thunderstorms accompanied by light to moderate wet spells, lightning, and gusty winds until May 29.

“Scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds (30-40 kmph) very likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during next 5 days," IMD said in a press statement.