IMD issues heavy rainfall warning for 3 districts in Kerala on May 19-20, north India sizzles under heatwaves

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of heavy rainfall in Kerala for the next five days and issued a red alert in three districts of the state. It has issued a red alert in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, and Idukki districts of the state for May 19 and 20. 

Additionally, an orange alert was issued for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam for those two days. 

According to the forecast, heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to continue over south peninsular India till May 23, with extremely heavy falls during May 19-21, according to the IMD forecast on May 18.

Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, and Mahe on May 18 and 22, and South Interior Karnataka on May 18-20, the IMD said. 

“Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is also very likely over Tamil Nadu and Kerala during May 19-21,” it added. 

The southwest monsoon is likely to hit Kerala on May 31. “Southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about seven days. This year, the southwest monsoon is likely to set in over Kerala on May 31,” the IMD had last week. 

The advance of the southwest monsoon over the mainland is marked by monsoon onset over Kerala and is an important indicator characterising the transition from a hot and dry season to a rainy season. 

Meanwhile, blistering temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius were observed in some parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat on May 18. 

Barmer in Rajasthan experienced a scorching temperature of 46.9 degrees Celsius along with Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Surendranagar and Deesa in Gujarat also recorded temperatures ranging between 45 and 45.5 degrees Celsius on May 18. 

“Today, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were observed in some parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat. Heatwave conditions in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi; in isolated pockets of Madhya Pradesh,” IMD said in a post on X. 

On May 18, the IMD forecast a heatwave and severe heatwave conditions across North India, including several parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, between May 17 and 21. 

A red alert for severe heatwave was issued for west Rajasthan, and an orange alert was also issued for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, East Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat. 

A yellow alert for a heatwave-like condition was issued as well for Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha. 

An area is in the grip of a heatwave if the maximum temperature at a weather station reaches at least 40°C and at least 30°C or more for hilly regions. 

Earlier, Delhi experienced scorching temperatures on May 17, with the mercury reaching a blistering 47.4 degrees Celsius in the Najafgarh area making it the hottest place in the country, according to the IMD. 

The extreme heatwave led to eight stations in Delhi surpassing the 45-degree mark, leaving residents struggling in the sweltering conditions.