Parts of northern India are currently grappling with severe heatwave conditions, where temperatures have surged beyond 47 degrees Celsius. The meteorological department has forecasted that this heatwave will persist until May 24, affecting various regions including Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, western Rajasthan, certain areas of eastern Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, and isolated regions of western Madhya Pradesh.
The situation in Delhi is particularly dire, with temperatures breaching the 47 degrees Celsius mark. Consequently, the weather department has issued a 'red alert' for the next five days due to the anticipated heatwave conditions in the national capital. This extreme heat has propelled the city's peak power demand to its highest levels for May. As a precautionary measure, the Delhi government has directed schools that have not yet commenced their summer vacations to do so immediately.
Similarly, Gautam Buddh Nagar recorded a scorching maximum temperature of 45.6 degrees Celsius on Monday, with a forecast of a heatwave persisting for the next four days. In response to these conditions, the district administration has mandated summer vacations for students in classes 9 to 12 across all schools in Noida and Greater Noida.
The blistering temperatures have also affected daily life in several other northern states, including Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Uttar Pradesh, where temperatures have remained above 45 degrees Celsius. Many residents have opted to stay indoors during the afternoon to escape the intense heat.
In Madhya Pradesh, cities like Ratlam and Nowgong have recorded maximum temperatures of 45.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Datia at 45.2 degrees, Khajuraho at 44.8 degrees, and Gwalior at 44.7 degrees.
The weather department had previously cautioned about the likelihood of extreme heat during the April-June period, coinciding with the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The criteria for declaring a heatwave include when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in coastal areas, and 30 degrees in hilly regions, with a departure from normal temperatures of at least 4.5 notches. A severe heatwave is declared if this departure exceeds 6.4 notches.
Contrastingly, while northern India battles scorching temperatures, southern states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu experienced heavy rainfall on Monday, signaling the impending onset of the southwest monsoon later this month. The India Meteorological Department predicts that Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal are likely to receive isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall until May 21. Reports of waterlogging have been received from several parts of Tamil Nadu as a result of these heavy rains.
