Two Indias, one weather: Heatwaves scorch North while rain drenches South
Delhi records first heatwave day of May, Banda in Uttar Pradesh crosses 48°C while Kerala and southern states brace for more rain and thunderstorms
As scorching heat gripped Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, heavy rain lashed Kerala and thunderstorms hit eastern states, India continued to see a sharp weather contrast on Tuesday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning that the pattern is far from over.
Delhi saw its first officially declared heatwave day of May as temperatures climbed beyond 45 degrees Celsius in multiple parts of the city under strong sunshine and dry winds. According to IMD, the capital is likely to heat up further on Wednesday, with mercury expected to rise close to 46 degrees Celsius.
North, Central India sizzle
The heat remained intense over large parts of northern and central India. Banda in Uttar Pradesh emerged among the hottest locations in the country at 48.2 degrees Celsius, exceeding Monday’s national peak of 46.4 degrees Celsius recorded at the same place.
Also read | Delhi may touch 45°C next week; heat wave likely across north and central India
In Uttar Pradesh, 22 of the state’s 75 districts recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Jhansi and Agra were among the hottest locations in the state, each recording a maximum temperature of 46.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Prayagraj at 45.8 degrees Celsius.
Soaring temperatures in Punjab made life difficult for people in Faridkot which sizzled at 47.3 degrees, while most cities in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra also reeled under intense heatwave conditions, with Amravati recording a high of 46.8 degrees.
Warm night conditions have increased discomfort in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha, with temperatures staying unusually elevated even after sunset. In Delhi, air quality has also started to deteriorate as it moves from the “moderate” category towards “poor” in certain areas.
South drenched by rains
While northern India grappled with extreme heat, southern states experienced the opposite weather pattern. Kerala received widespread showers while Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district recorded 16 cm of rainfall in a single day at Neyyoor.
The IMD has forecast continued rainfall along with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Lakshadweep in the coming days.
Eastern India is also expected to witness unstable weather conditions. Odisha is likely to see isolated hailstorms, while thunderstorms and strong winds are expected over Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha throughout the week. Heavy rainfall has also been predicted in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim later this week.
The IMD has also indicated an early arrival of the Southwest Monsoon, stating it is likely to reach Kerala around May 26, ahead of its usual schedule, with a model margin of error of four days.
Extreme contrast across India
The contrasting pattern is expected to continue on Wednesday, May 20. The north will remain under an intense heat dome, with Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Vidarbha all on alert for heatwave to severe heatwave conditions.
On the other hand, Kerala and Lakshadweep will continue to see widespread to heavy rain, with coastal Karnataka also receiving scattered showers, signalling the arrival of the monsoon.
Relief unlikely anytime soon
Conditions over the next 3-4 days remain favourable for the monsoon to push further into the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Andaman Sea. The IMD forecasts that the monsoon will make landfall in Kerala around May 26 (with a normal model error margin of 4 days), which is nearly a week earlier than its traditional June 1 arrival date.
Also read | Above-normal heatwave days likely in parts of India in May: IMD
For much of the country still sweltering under relentless heat, that arrival cannot come soon enough. Temperatures are not expected to fall significantly across most of the country until May 25. The IMD said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are expected to persist across parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Vidarbha, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi over the next few days. Severe heatwave conditions are particularly likely in parts of Delhi and adjoining regions on May 20. The IMD issued a special alert on Monday, with orange and yellow warnings for most of these states from May 18 to May 24.