The India Meteorological Department has issued warnings for hot and humid conditions that are likely to intensify across several parts of the country in the coming days, with heatwave spells, rising temperatures and warm nights expected in multiple regions.
According to the latest bulletin, heatwave conditions are very likely in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh till April 26, while Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand are also expected to face similar conditions.
The IMD has also forecast hot and humid weather in isolated pockets of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala and Mahe. Warm night conditions are likely in parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa, adding to the discomfort as temperatures remain elevated across large swathes of the country.
According to the IMD bulletin, a gradual rise of 3-5 degrees Celsius in maximum temperatures is likely across northwest India till April 26, while central India is likely to see a 2-4 degrees Celsius increase, after which conditions are expected to remain stable.
Maharashtra may see temperatures climb by 2-3 degrees Celsius, and Gujarat is also expected to register a similar rise between April 24 and 27. In the northeast, maximum temperatures may increase by 2-4 degrees Celsius before settling into more stable conditions thereafter.
Rainfall forecast across India
The India Meteorological Department has forecast widespread rain activity across several parts of the country over the coming days, with light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms and gusty winds likely over the Northeast, East India, the Western Himalayan region, parts of the South Peninsula and pockets of West India. Heavy to very heavy rain is expected in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and Meghalaya, while isolated rainfall with thunderstorm activity is also likely in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Odisha, Jharkhand and parts of Gangetic West Bengal.
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Mixed weather across Bengal
Till April 26, South Bengal is expected to remain under a mixed weather pattern, with heatwave conditions likely in pockets of Bankura, West Bardhaman and Birbhum on April 23, while hot and humid weather may affect West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia and parts of the region.
From April 24 to 26, light rain or thundershowers are likely to return to several districts, and thunderstorms with gusty winds and lightning are also forecast in multiple places across Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Bankura, Bardhaman, Murshidabad and Nadia.
ALSO READ: Heatwave In Delhi: Schools Told To Suspend Outdoor Activities; 'Water Bell' System Made Mandatory
Intense heatwave across Delhi
The national capital is set to remain in the grip of intense heat, with maximum temperatures expected to rise by 2-3 degrees Celsius over the next three days before staying largely unchanged thereafter, according to the forecast. Delhi is likely to see clear skies and hot, humid conditions on Thursday, with the maximum temperature projected between 41 and 43 degrees Celsius and the minimum between 23 and 25 degrees Celsius.
In response to the heatwave warning, the directorate of education in Delhi has issued safety guidelines for all government-aided and private unaided recognised schools across the capital. The advisory asks schools to curtail outdoor assemblies, keep them brief or shift them indoors or to shaded areas, ensure students carry adequate drinking water, and provide safe, cool water at multiple points on campus.
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