NEW DELHI — A punishing heatwave is projected to grip at least ten states across North and Central India this week, with maximum temperatures consistently hovering at or surging past the 45-degree Celsius mark. According to meteorological reports, the severe weather conditions are expected to persist until May 24, bringing not only blistering daytime heat but also unusually warm night temperatures that offer little to no relief to residents.
On Monday, major states including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Maharashtra experienced an intense thermal onslaught, with peak temperatures breaching 46 degrees Celsius in several regions. Banda district in Uttar Pradesh recorded a staggering 47.6 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest location in the country. Other areas registered equally extreme temperatures, with Punjab’s Bathinda hitting 47 degrees Celsius, Wardha in Maharashtra touching 46.5 degrees Celsius, and both Sirsa in Haryana and the Chittorgarh-Pilani belt in Rajasthan recording 46.2 degrees Celsius. Private weather forecasting agency Skymet indicated that except for the northeastern and southern regions, nearly half the country will remain under the direct influence of this heatwave, with average regional temperatures stabilizing around 45 degrees Celsius.
The meteorological forecast for the next two days indicates a stark geographical divide across the subcontinent, characterized by extreme heat in the plains and heavy precipitation in other belts.
On May 20, official heatwave alerts have been issued for 19 districts in Rajasthan, 33 districts in Uttar Pradesh, and 10 districts in Punjab. Conversely, Jharkhand is on an orange alert for rainfall, while the western Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are expected to experience rain accompanied by hailstorms.
By May 21, the situation is expected to intensify further with a severe heatwave warning issued for Rajasthan, alongside anticipated warm night conditions. Strong heatwave conditions will concurrently sweep through Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. In sharp contrast, a heavy rainfall alert has been sounded for the southern and northeastern parts of the country, including Assam, Meghalaya, Kerala, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
