CHENNAI: People continue to reel under severe heatwave conditions in different parts of the country.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave prevailed on Friday in many parts of Punjab, northwest Rajasthan and Vidarbha, some parts of Himachal Pradesh, West Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand, and in isolated pockets of Haryana-Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan, East Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, and Odisha.
The maximum temperatures, as of April 28, were 43-46°C over most parts of Rajasthan, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh, and East Uttar Pradesh; in many parts of Gujarat, interior Odisha; in some parts of Madhya Maharashtra and in isolated pockets of Bihar, Jharkhand, interior Gangetic West Bengal, and 40-43°C over most parts of Haryana-Delhi, Punjab, and in isolated pockets of West Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Marathwada, Telangana, and Rayalaseema.
The IMD foresees no significant change in maximum temperatures over many parts of Northwest India (except over East Uttar Pradesh & south Rajasthan, where fall is likely from May 2) till May 2 and a fall by 2-3°C thereafter.
There will be no significant change in maximum temperatures very likely over many parts of Central India and Gujarat till May 1and fall by about 2°C thereafter. No significant change in maximum temperatures is very likely over most parts of East India till April 30 and fall by 2-3°C thereafter. No significant change in maximum temperatures is very likely over the rest parts of the country. Heatwave conditions will prevail in some parts over West Rajasthan during April 30 with Severe Heat Wave Conditions on May 1 and gradually decreases into Heatwave conditions in isolated pockets on May 2.
Meanwhile, according to reports, Delhi has recorded the hottest April in several years. The average maximum temperature in April this year was 40.2 degrees Celsius, the highest since 2010 when the average for the month stood at 40.4 degrees Celsius.
According to Skymet Weather, during the next 24 hours, heatwave conditions are expected to continue over Northwest and Central India as well as parts of East India.
Heatwave is expected to continue over many parts of Punjab, West Rajasthan, Delhi, Vidarbha, and some parts of Himachal Pradesh, west Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Odisha, Skymet added.