Heatwave in Delhi: IMD forecasts thunderstorm, rain for Friday; temperatures rise across the country

The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD’s) forecast for thunderstorm and rain is expected to bring a sigh of relief to Delhi residents following a week of scorching heat. The weather office has forecast partly cloudy skies with the possibility of thunderstorm and rain later in the day.

This comes after a red alert – which is a severe warning level – was issued for Delhi as the capital witnessed extreme heatwave conditions. Temperatures rose to between 41-45 degree Celsius, while the minimum temperature was as high as 31 degree Celsius, which is four notches above the season’s average.

The relative humidity was recorded at 67 per cent at 8.30 am on Friday.

The air quality remained in the moderate category with a reading of 195 at 9 am. According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

HEATWAVE IN INDIA

Maximum temperatures across the country are recorded between 43 and 46 degrees Celsius in many parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, south Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, southeast Uttar Pradesh, Jammu, and Kutch. Temperatures range from 40 to 42 degrees Celsius in North Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, the remaining parts of Gujarat, and southwest Bihar adjoining Jharkhand.

Temperatures are above normal by more than 6.5 degrees Celsius at isolated locations in Jammu and Arunachal Pradesh. In Himachal Pradesh, northwest Punjab, north Rajasthan, southwest Madhya Pradesh, east Meghalaya, south Nagaland, Saurashtra and Kutch, and east sub-Himalayan West Bengal, temperatures are higher than normal by 4.5 to 6.4 degrees Celsius.

A heatwave warning for tomorrow has been issued with a red alert for Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana. Madhya Pradesh and west Uttar Pradesh have been given an orange alert, while Himachal Pradesh and east Uttar Pradesh have a yellow alert.

Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are expected to continue over northwest India, including the Western Himalayan region, on 13th June and are likely to reduce thereafter.