The Indie Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued Thursday's forecast. It predicted heatwave and hot weather conditions parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha and Maharashtra. However, relief is on the horizon for several southern and eastern regions with forecasted rainfall and thunderstorms.
Current heatwave conditions
Temperatures have been intense, with many parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh experiencing highs of 40°C-42°C. Similar sweltering conditions are affecting Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Odisha, Bihar and Rayalaseema. Over the next few days, isolated pockets in Gujarat, Konkan, Saurashtra, and Kutch are expected to face heatwave conditions. Severe heatwave warnings have been issued for parts of West Rajasthan, Punjab, south Haryana, and East Rajasthan from May 17-19.
Rainfall and storm forecast
In contrast, several regions will experience welcome rainfall. On May Thursday and Friday (May 16 and 17), Konkan, Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, and Marathawada can expect isolated light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 40-60 kmph. There is also a potential for hailstorm activity over Madhya Maharashtra today.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands will enjoy scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall over the next seven days, with isolated heavy rainfall expected over Nicobar Islands on May 19.
Southern states including Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and Karnataka are likely to see scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall, with isolated heavy rainfall anticipated from May 16-20. Tamil Nadu and Kerala are particularly on alert for very heavy rainfall on May 18 and 19, respectively.
Northeastern India
A cyclonic circulation over Assam is influencing weather patterns, bringing scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds to Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim over the next week. Similar weather conditions will affect Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura until May 19, with isolated heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh from May 16-19 and in Assam and Meghalaya on May 17-19.
Western disturbance
A fresh Western Disturbance is expected to affect the Western Himalayan region from May 17, bringing isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall to Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand through May 19.
As northern India grapples with extreme heat, the arrival of rainfall in the southern and eastern regions offers much-needed respite.
