Heatwave conditions abate from parts of north India, says IMD; light to moderate rain in Delhi likely

Southwest Monsoon started northwards on Thursday after a 10-day lull, covering parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and large tracts of Vidarbha, bringing relief to the parched regions that were reeling under hot weather conditions.

India Meteorological Department data showed the country has received 17 per cent deficient rainfall than normal this monsoon season -- 77 mm as against the normal of 92.8 mm between June 1 and 20, news agency PTI reported.

"Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Northwest Bay of Bengal, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and some parts of Bihar," the weather office said.

The IMD said conditions were favourable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gangetic and sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh during the next three to four days.

The IMD has forecast that Northwest India, except East Uttar Pradesh, would not see a significant change in maximum temperature for the next 2-3 days. The region, however, would record a rise in the temperature by 2-3 degrees, it said.    

Scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall was observed over Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, north Haryana-Chandigarh and north Uttar Pradesh during the past 24 hours till 8.30am today, the IMD said in its evening bulletin.Isolated very heavy rainfall was also observed over Uttarakhand during this period, it added.

A western disturbance seen as a cyclonic circulation over Jammu and Kashmir is likely to bring "scattered light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (30-40kmph)" over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan today, the IMD said in its evening bulletin.

It, however, said that heatwave conditions will continue in parts of Uttar Pradesh while hot and humid conditions will be witnessed in some parts of Rajasthan. 

A 33-year-old fireman was injured and two vehicles were damaged on Thursday after a tree fell following heavy rains in Maharashtra's Thane city, civic officials said, news agency PTI reported.

The tree fell in Savarkar Nagar at 11.35 am, crushing an auto-rickshaw and a car, Thane Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said.

Both the vehicles were unoccupied, he said.

Local fire personnel and the regional disaster management cell team members rushed to the spot for rescue and clearing work.
While the operation was on, a tree branch fell on fireman Uttam Patil, who suffered a minor leg injury which was locally treated, he said.

The remaining part of the tree was cut and removed, the official said. 

The IMD has issued an orange alert for Palghar, Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri as severe rainfall continued to lash these districts of Maharashtra. However, the weather bureau has kept Mumbai under a yellow alert as the financial capital recorded lesser rainfall than these districts.

The number of heatstroke-related deaths and admissions in Delhi hospitals have seen a rise in the last 24 hours. According to officials at the Safdarjung Hospital, 33 patients suffering from heat-related illnesses were admitted. Of them 13 died in the last 24 hours, they said, news agency PTI reported.

The Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital received 22 patients with a suspected heatstroke in the last 24 hours out of which four have died, a hospital source said. Meanwhile, at the city's main crematorium -- Nigambodh Ghat -- the number of cremations has seen a spike. Officials, however, could not confirm if the deaths were related to heatstrokes.

With PTI inputs

There have been 110 confirmed heatstroke deaths in the country since March – six of which were recorded last Tuesday – as per data collected by the Union health ministry. Moreover, there have been 40,272 cases of heatstroke this summer.

The highest number of such deaths was reported from Uttar Pradesh (36), followed by Bihar (17), and Rajasthan (16). The highest number of heatstroke cases, however, were reported by Madhya Pradesh. The state reported 10,636 heatstroke cases but only five confirmed deaths, the data informally shared by sources said.

Delhi recorded humidity at 67 per cent. The minimum temperature was 29.6 degrees Celsius and the maximum is likely to settle around 42 degrees Celsius.

Popular tourist destination Shimla witnessed thunderstorms and rainfall in Shimla.

In Dehradun, where temperatures had soared to nearly 40 degrees Celsius, rains led to a significant drop in the maximum temperature.

On Thursday, the IMD issued an orange alert in six districts of the state for June 23 and in four on June 24.

An orange alert is issued when 'very heavy rainfall' of 11 cm to 20 cm is expected, and a yellow alert for 'heavy rainfall' of between 6 cm and 11 cm.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted the likelihood of an increase in the rains in Kerala by June 21-22. The IMD issued an orange alert in three northern Kerala districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur for June 21 and a yellow alert in six others.

For June 22, it issued an orange alert in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod and yellow alert in eight other districts of the state.

Expecting heavy rainfall and strong winds in the state in the coming days, the Kerala government has requested pre-deployment of nine NDRF teams in the southern state.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), in its statement, said the government has sought pre-deployment of the teams in Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Malappuram, Kollam, Kozhikode, Thrissur and Wayanad districts of the state.

It also said that a 24x7 NDRF control room in Arakkonam is closely monitoring the situation round the clock, PTI reported.

> Karjat (Raigad): 11 cm

> Dhahanu (Palghar): 9 cm

> Khed (Ratnagiri): 7 cm

> Dapoli (Ratnagiri): 7 cm

> Tala ( Raigad): 7 cm

Source: IMD

Swathes of northern India, including the national capital, have been in the grip of a punishingly long heat wave, increasing heat stroke casualties. This has prompted the Centre to issue advisory to hospitals to set up special units to cater to such patients.

During the past three days, the bodies of 50 people evidently belonging to the underprivileged backgrounds were recovered around Delhi, police said on Wednesday.

> Palam (Delhi): 44.7
> Kanpur IAF: 45.1
> Amritsar: 44.0
> Jammu (Jammu Division): 43.8

 Source: IMD

Humidity on Thursday was recorded at 67 per cent. The minimum temperature was 29.6 degrees Celsius and the maximum is likely to settle around 42 degrees Celsius.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital at 9 am was recorded in the 'poor' category with a reading of 214, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

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".

Dehradun and other parts of Uttarakhand witnessed light rains on Wednesday following a long dry spell.

Popular tourist destination Shimla witnessed thunderstorms and rainfall in Shimla.

In Dehradun, where temperatures had soared to nearly 40 degrees Celsius, rains led to a significant drop in the maximum temperature.

 

Assam & Meghalaya is likely to get heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) during 21st-23rd June, IMD said in its forecast. The two states are likely to get isolated heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) to extremely heavy falls (>204.4 mm) on 19th June and 20th June and a red alert has been issued on the region. 

As many as 30 relief camps have been opened in schools and other places in Assam's Karimganj district as the flood situation worsened in the state

As per IMD, Manesar, Sonipat, Kharkhoda, Mattanhail, Jhajjar, Farukhnagar, Sohana, Palwal (Haryana) Baraut, Bagpat, Meerut, Khekra, Modinagar, Kithor, Pilakhua, Hapur, Gulaoti, Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar (UP) are expected to witness rainfall during next 2 hours.

Various places in Uttarakhand, including Dehradun, received light showers on Wednesday after a prolonged dry spell bringing relief to people from the scorching heat.

The maximum temperature in Dehradun, which had shot up to around 40 degrees Celsius by Wednesday afternoon, plummeted sharply with the rains, preceded by gusty winds.

Rains continue to lash various places in both Garhwal and Kumaon regions including Dehradun, Tehri and Pithoragarh, it said.

With little rain this summer, temperatures in Dehradun crossed the 40-degree Celsius mark on various occasions

Incessant rains have resulted in flood-like situations in parts of Asaam's Darrang district. As per the PTI report, water is overflowing on the NH-15. Several houses have also been flooded in Mangalde and Kharupetia areas.

Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas are expected to witness gusty winds with speeds of 30-50 Km/h.

The areas, as per IMD, expected to witness gusty winds are Hindon AF Station, Bahadurgarh, Loni Dehat, Ghaziabad, Indirapuram, Chhapraula, Noida, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, Dadri.

Delhi-NCR has witnessed a sudden change in weather with cloudy skies and winds bringing respite from the scorching heat. The IMD has predicted rain in the national capital in the next two hours.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its latest update, is expecting light to moderate intensity rain and winds in North Delhi, North-East Delhi, North-West Delhi, West Delhi, Central-Delhi, and NCR in the next two hours.

The nearby regions also expected to witness heavy rainfall are Sonipat, Rohtak, Kharkhoda (Haryana) Bagpat, Khekra, Modinagar, Pilakhua (UP).

Light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm & lightning/gusty winds likely over these regions during night hours, IMD said in a forecast today. 

In Central India: Vidarbha, East Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand & adjoining south Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, 

In Southern India: Kerala, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, north Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Konkan & Goa, 

In Western India: Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, central Gujarat, 

In Eastern India: Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, 

In Northern India: northeast Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and south Uttar Pradesh 

Swathes of northern and eastern India grappled with punishing heat wave conditions on Wednesday, and a western disturbance may provide much-needed relief, though only marginally, over the next few days, according to the India Meteorological Department.

Also, conditions are now favourable for further advancement of the Monsoon which had made no significant progress between June 12 and 18, extending the wait for rains in north India which is reeling from the sweltering heat.

Maximum temperatures ranged from 43 to 45 degrees Celsius in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and north Rajasthan.

In the national capital, hospitals reported a spike in heatstroke cases and several deaths in the last two days. Delhi recorded its warmest night in at least 14 years, with the minimum temperature settling at 35.2 degrees Celsius.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said heat wave to severe heat wave conditions prevailed in parts of Uttar Pradesh, south Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab and pockets of Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and the Jammu division. (PTI)

Hot weather conditions continued to persist in Haryana and Punjab on Wednesday, with Nuh reeling at 45.3 degrees Celsius.

Haryana's Faridabad recorded a maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius, while Gurugram recorded a high of 43.6 deg C.

Sonipat recorded a high of 44.8 degrees Celsius, and Hisar 44.4 degrees Celsius. Rohtak recorded 44.8 degrees Celsius, while Ambala and Karnal registered the maximums of 42.5 degrees and 41.4 degrees Celsius.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, also sweltered under a maximum of 43.1 degrees Celsius, according to the MeT Department here. (PTI)

Various places in Uttarakhand, including Dehradun, received light showers on Wednesday after a prolonged dry spell bringing relief to people from the scorching heat.

The maximum temperature in Dehradun, which had shot up to around 40 degrees Celsius by Wednesday afternoon, plummeted sharply with the rains, preceded by gusty winds.

Rains continue to lash various places in both Garhwal and Kumaon regions including Dehradun, Tehri and Pithoragarh, it said.

With little rain this summer, temperatures in Dehradun crossed the 40-degree Celsius mark on various occasions. (PTI)

Incessant rain over the past few days had triggered landslides and flood-like situations in various parts of Arunachal Pradesh, officials said on Wednesday.

Itanagar witnessed landslides at several locations, with waterlogging reported along the Doimuk-Potin Road and several stretches of the Itanagar-Yupia Road.

A portion of NH-415 and a culvert were washed away at Karsingsa sinking zone on Tuesday morning, severing connectivity between Nirjuli and Banderdewa. Vehicular traffic between these areas has been diverted via Gumto Road.

Eight relief camps have been established in the state capital to aid those affected by landslides and flooding, officials said. Landslides also damaged a few vehicles and a newly constructed house in Banderdewa. Fortunately, no loss of human lives has been reported. Similar reports of landslides have emerged from other districts. Major rivers and their tributaries in the state are in high spate, though still below the danger mark. (PTI)

India has received 20 per cent below normal rainfall since the start of the monsoon period on June 1, and overall precipitation for the entire month will also be subpar, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said.

After reaching the Indian mainland two days earlier than usual and swiftly covering many other states, the rain-bearing system made no significant progress between June 12 and 18, extending the wait for north India, which is reeling from a sweltering heat wave.

However, conditions are now favorable for further advancement of the monsoon into parts of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, northwest Bay of Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand over the next three to four days, the weather department said.

India received 64.5 mm of rainfall between June 1 and 18 which is 20 per cent less than the long period average (LPA) of 80.6 mm, it said. Since June 1, northwest India has recorded 10.2 mm of rainfall (70 per cent less than normal), central India 50.5 mm (31 per cent less than normal), the south peninsula 106.6 mm (16 per cent more than normal), and east and northeast India 146.7 mm (15 per cent less than normal). (PTI)

Coastal Karnataka is likely to get isolated heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) to extremely heavy falls (>204.4 mm) during June 21-23, IMD said in its forecast. 

Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are very likely in many parts of Uttar Pradesh on June 20 whereas heatwave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of Jammu Division, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana - Chandigarh - Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Punjab on June 19, IMD said in its forecast.  

The south-west monsoon, which has slowed down after hitting Mumbai, is gathering pace and is expected to progress further by June 21-22, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.

Several parts of Mumbai received showers on Wednesday morning, but it was insufficient to give respite from oppressive heat.

Monsoon arrived in Mumbai on June 9, two days ahead of its normal schedule. Since then it made little progress and it is yet to cover parts of northern Maharashtra and Vidarbha.

India has received 20 per cent less rainfall since the start of the monsoon period on June 1, with the rain-bearing system making no significant progress between June 12 and 18. (PTI)

The India Meteorological Department on Wednesday forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning in parts of Andhra Pradesh for five days from June 19 to 23.

Thunderstorms have been forecast over parts of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP), Yanam, South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) and Rayalaseema.

Heavy rain is expected in isolated places of NCAP and Yanam on Wednesday.

A cyclonic circulation lies over coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Telangana at 5.8 km above mean sea level. (PTI)

Assam & Meghalaya is likely to get heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) during 21st-23rd June, IMD said in its forecast. The two states are likely to get isolated heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) to extremely heavy falls (>204.4 mm) on 19th June and 20th June and a red alert has been issued in the region. 

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Assam-Meghalaya during next 3 days and isolated heavy rainfall thereafter, IMD said in its forecast. 

Severe heat wave conditions are likely to continue over parts of Uttar Pradesh, north Madhya Pradesh, and north Rajasthan today, IMD said in its forecast.

"Monsoon has not progressed and the Northern Limit of Monsoon on 18th June, passes through  20.5°N/60°E, 20.5°N/63°E, 20.5°N/70°E, Navsari, Jalgaon, Amravati, Chandrapur,  Bijapur, Sukma, Malkangiri, Vizianagaram, 19.5°N/88°E, 21.5°N/89.5°E,  23°N/89.5°E and Islampur," IMD said in a release.

Light to moderate intensity rain and gusty winds with speed of 30-40 Km/h in and around New Delhi, South-West Delhi, South Delhi, South-East Delhi, NCR ( Noida, Dadri, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ballabhgarh) Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar, Jahangirabad, Anupshahar, Shikarpur, Khurja, Pahasu, Gabhana (UP) during next 2 hours.

The average June rainfall for the country as a whole is most likely to be below normal, less than 92 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA), as per IMD. 

The LPA of the June rainfall over the country as a whole for the period 1971-2020 is 16.69 cm

Southwest Monsoon advanced into some parts of the Nicobar Islands on  May 19, 2024. The monsoon further advanced subsequently over most parts of the south and some parts of central Bay of Bengal by May 26 in association with cyclone, REMAL. 

On May 30, Monsoon set in simultaneously over Kerala and northeastern states. Hence, Onset over Kerala was 2 days before and over northeast India, 6 days before the normal date.

Delhi on Tuesday set a new record for the warmest night ever recorded for the month of June since records have been maintained since 1969, with the minimum temperature at the Safdarjung observation station reaching 35.2 degrees Celsius.

As per IMD, this was eight degrees above normal. The previous highest minimum temperature recorded between 1969 and 2024 in June was 34.7 degrees Celsius on June 3, 2010.

Read more here.

As per information from the IMD website, high minimum temperatures significantly impact people. 

“If the minimum temperatures at night are warmer than normal then they also give a cascading effect on the next day maximum temperatures. The maximum temperatures may be attained the following day earlier and may also last for longer duration. When the high daytime and nighttime temperatures are seen together then they tend to increase the heat stress on the human body (and it) finds it difficult to recover from the heat of the day during night hours,” says the IMD.

Chennai witnessed heavy rainfall along with lightning and thunderstorms in the past few days. The rainfall severely impacted Chennai airport, resulting in flight delays and cancellations.

IMD has issued a yellow alert for Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu.

Delhi experienced the warmest night in 12 years on Wednesday with the minimum temperature settling at 35.2 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature recorded in the national capital is over eight notches above the season's normal.

The previous warmest night recorded was 34 degrees Celsius in June 2012. A day earlier, Delhi recorded the warmest night of this season at 33.8 degrees Celsius.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast scattered light rain over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan today and tomorrow. Similar weather will also be witnessed over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from June 19 to 23.