The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a week of extreme weather conditions across various parts of the country, ranging from intense heatwaves in the northwest to thunderstorms and heavy rains in the east and northeast.
According to the latest forecast issued today, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist over Rajasthan till April 19, while Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and West Madhya Pradesh may also face high temperatures between April 15 and 18.
Meanwhile, an intense Western Disturbance is expected to affect the Western Himalayan Region between April 16 and 20, peaking on April 18 and 19 with isolated heavy rainfall. This system is likely to bring thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds to the adjoining plains of northwestern India, including parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi. These storms may be accompanied by hail in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand during this period.
In the last 24 hours, parts of East Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, and Coastal Andhra Pradesh witnessed thunderstorms and gusty winds. Hailstorms were also reported in Madhya Maharashtra, Coastal Andhra, and Chhattisgarh, while isolated places in Odisha and Tamil Nadu experienced heavy rainfall.
Looking ahead, light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds is likely to continue across Northeast and East India for the next five days. Odisha is expected to receive heavy rainfall on April 15 and 16, followed by Assam and Meghalaya from April 16 to 18, and the northeastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura on April 17. Thunder squalls with wind speeds up to 60 kmph are also likely in parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal on April 14 and 15.
Delhi will see mainly clear skies initially, but temperatures are forecast to climb to 42°C by April 17, with heatwave conditions expected at isolated places from April 16 onwards. Residents are advised to stay hydrated and avoid exposure during peak hours, while farmers in affected regions have been warned to safeguard crops and livestock against adverse weather.
