Heatwave Grips India As Temperatures Near 47°C, IMD Warns Of More Hot Days

The IMD declares a warm night when the minimum temperatures are at least 4.5℃ above-normal.

Stay indoors in the afternoon, keep drinking water, and watch for dizziness, fever, or sudden weakness, the IMD warned. (File photo)

Intense summer conditions have gripped much of India with temperatures touching 47℃. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the heatwave is likely to persist over the next two days, with warm conditions also expected in a few places.

There mercury is expected to dip by 2-3℃ only after April 28, following a brief spell of rainfall/hailstorm in upper Himalayan regions like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and thunderstorms/lightning and gusty winds in the plains of Punjab and Haryana.

However, the relief is likely to be temporary, as the temperatures will rise again from May 1, in most parts of the region.

The temperatures have surged past 45℃ in several places, and intense heatwave has swept Vidarbha, isolated pockets of Rajasthan as well as Uttar Pradesh, with the highest maximum temperature recorded at 46.9℃ in Akola in Maharashtra.

Rajasthan’s highest was recorded at Barmer (46.4℃) and Jaisalmer (46℃). The plains were not spared either with Bathinda in Punjab recording 43.7℃, and Narnaul in Haryana touching 44.2℃.

The national capital region also simmered with the day time temperatures between 42-43.5℃ across all the meteorological stations. This is nearly 3-4℃ above-normal. The nights offered no respite either, with mercury settling around 25-26℃, although no heatwave conditions were not observed in the capital yet, confirmed IMD.

However, the meteorologists have also warned of warm night conditions to prevail in several parts of Northwest India, making the heat conditions worse. The IMD declares a warm night when the minimum temperatures are at least 4.5℃ above-normal. This can be extremely detrimental to health as the body does not get time for cooling even after searing temperatures during the day.

The mercury crossed 45℃ in Akola, Amraoti, Banda, Wardha, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Yeotmal on Sunday, said MeT. While intense dry heat gripped northern states, the southern regions were hit by high humidity especially Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry.

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