Amid scorching heatwave conditions and intense hot weather across various regions in the country, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted on Monday fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by isolated thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds, over the northeastern states and other parts of India in the coming days.
Heatwave and hot weather Conditions:
According to the IMD, heatwave conditions will prevail in isolated pockets across several states. The highest temperatures are expected in Tamil Nadu, Rayalaseema, Telangana, and Vidarbha on May 6, and west Rajasthan from May 7 to May 10. Similarly, heatwave conditions will affect east Rajasthan and west Madhya Pradesh from May 8 to May 10, and Saurashtra from May 6 to May 10.
IMD
Additionally, hot and humid weather is likely to continue in isolated pockets of Gujarat over the next five days, with similar conditions affecting Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, coastal Karnataka, and Kerala and Mahe on May 6 and 7, and Rayalaseema from May 7 to May 10.
Rainfall and storm warnings
Despite several states grappling with the heat, other regions in the country are expected to witness widespread light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds over the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura in the next seven days. Isolated heavy rainfall is expected in Arunachal Pradesh on May 6, and Assam and Meghalaya on May 7.
IMD
In Gangetic West Bengal, isolated heavy rainfall is likely on May 6 and 7, accompanied by gusty winds. Similar weather conditions, including rainfall and thunderstorms, are forecasted for other regions, such as Odisha, east Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Jharkhand, and Odisha from May 6 to May 10.
In a major respite to southern regions from the scorching heat, isolated heavy rainfall is expected over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, and Rayalaseema on May 7 and 8, with similar conditions expected in Kerala & Mahe from May 8 to 10, the IMD stated.
Cyclonic circulation and western disturbances
The influence of a cyclonic circulation over Marathwada and a trough extending to south Tamil Nadu is causing scattered to fairly widespread rainfall and thunderstorms with gusty winds across the southern and eastern states.
IMD
In addition, a Western disturbance is affecting northwest India and is expected to bring isolated light to moderate rainfall over Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad on May 6, and over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from May 6 to 8. Further, there is a likelihood of scattered to widespread activity in the region with thunderstorms and gusty winds from May 9 to 11.
Maximum temperature observation
On May 5, maximum temperatures soared in various parts of the country, according to the IMD. The hottest areas included Telangana, Rayalaseema, Vidarbha, north interior Karnataka and north Madhya Pradesh, where temperatures reached 44°C-45°C.
Other regions, including Marathwada, southeast Uttar Pradesh, northeast Madhya Pradesh, and coastal Andhra Pradesh, saw temperatures between 42°C and 44°C.
