Weather update: IMD predicts heatwave in northern states, rainfall to lash these places - check details

Pic courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that in Delhi, the mercury will rise to 43 degrees Celsius on Wednesday (May 18) and hit the 45-degree Celsius mark by Friday. The Met Office issued a "yellow" alert warning of a heatwave in parts of the capital on Friday. The IMD has predicted that heatwave conditions are very likely over Jammu division, parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on Wednesday while on Thursday, similar heatwave conditions are expected at isolated places in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat.

Heatwave conditions in isolated pockets are very likely over Uttar Pradesh on May 19; Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha on May 20 and 21; Punjab and Haryana on May 19 and 20; Rajasthan on May 18 to 21, the IMD warning said.

The arrival of monsoon

At present, the weather situation indicates that the southwest monsoon has arrived over parts of South Bay of Bengal, Andaman Nicobar Islands, and the Andaman Sea. The Met department had said yesterday (May 17) that due to strong cross-equatorial flow from the Bay of Bengal to the Andaman Sea in lower tropospheric levels, widespread rainfall is very likely over Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the next 5 days.

Delhi may witness thunderstorms and gusty winds under the influence of a fresh western disturbance on Saturday and light rain on Sunday which would bring the mercury down to 40 degrees Celsius on the weekend. 

In Kerala, the IMD has issued an Orange alert in seven districts in Kerala for Wednesday. The IMD has issued an Orange alert for the districts of Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod.

The IMD predicted light to moderate rain over some parts of Telangana in the next 24 to 48 hours, informed Hyderabad Meteorological Centre Director Nagaratna on Tuesday. Dr Nagaratna said, "The temperatures are likely to be around 39 to 40 degrees Celsius and humidity of 70 to 80 per cent in the state." She further said that the thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and winds with speed (10-15 kmph) is very likely to occur in the next two to three days over a few parts of Telangana.