India weather updates: Vidarbha, Marathwada sweat as mercury crosses 45°C; heatwave to persist over the week

A delayed monsoon has left most parts of India sizzling, with temperatures soaring above 40°C across several cities in central and northern India, crossing 45°C at several places. The India Meteorological Department has warned of “heatwave conditions” in many parts of the country, including a “severe heatwave in isolated pockets” of Vidarbha, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, the Marathwada region, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Rayalaseema. In Maharashtra’s Chandrapur, the mercury  touched 48°C on Wednesday. The temperature in the towns of Brahmpuri and Amravati hit a scorching 47.5°C and 46.4°C, respectively. Besides the Vidarbha region, where Chandrapur, Brahmpuri and Amravati are located, the cities likely to witness dangerous temperatures are Hyderabad, Nagpur — also in Vidarbha — Patna, Indore, Lucknow and New Delhi. For the National Capital, the MeT department forecast a maximum temperature of 44°C for the week.

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IMD

— NDMA India | राष्ट्रीय आपदा प्रबंधन प्राधिकरण 🇮🇳 (@ndmaindia) May 29, 2019

According to AccuWeather, the temperature in Northwest India is likely to reach 48°C. This heatwave is also expected to spread further northwest into much of Pakistan and Southern Afghanistan, affecting Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Faisalabad and Hyderabad. Maximum temperatures in Vidarbha, Marathwada and Central Maharashtra, according to weather.com, were 3.1°C to 5.0°C higher on Monday, and the heatwave condition is going to persist over the week, predicted forecasters. [caption id=“attachment_2757038” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] The website explained that the hot and dry air from the northwest were spiking temperatures in India, besides in the North East, where there is cyclonic circulation. Clear skies are making the loo winds feel even worse for people. The maximum temperatures are likely to surpass 45°C over Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, the National Capital Region, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, according to weather.com. According to the IMD, the arrival of the monsoon in Kerala this year is expected to be delayed to 6 June. However, private forecaster Skymet Weather advanced the onset of the monsoon in the southern state by two days to 4 June. While most part of mainland India is bearing the brunt of an intense heatwave, the southwest monsoon has brought along thunder and lightning and much-needed relief from the heat to isolated places in Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Sikkim, as well as coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. With the intense heatwave dominating most parts of India, the National Disaster Management Authority has issued guidelines to follow to prevent heat-related illnesses, including dehydration and heat strokes. People are advised to not step outdoors in the peak sunny hours between 12 and 3 pm and to stay hydrated and covered up to stay protected from the sun. The poor air quality in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai is only making the heatwave conditions worse.