India continues to face extreme and contrasting weather conditions, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing severe heatwave warnings for large parts of North and Central India, even as heavy rainfall and pre-monsoon activity intensify in southern and island regions.
According to the IMD, Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and parts of Bihar are experiencing or expected to face severe heatwave conditions due to persistent dry north-westerly winds originating from the Thar Desert and adjoining regions.
In Delhi-NCR, an orange alert has been issued for May 21, with maximum temperatures expected to reach around 46°C. The capital has already recorded its sixth heatwave day of 2026, while unusually high night temperatures near 28°C provide no respite after sunset. Weather officials have warned that no significant cooling or thunderstorm activity is expected in the coming days.
The IMD has forecast that heatwave conditions will persist across North and Central India until at least May 26 in several regions, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. Similar conditions are expected to continue in Vidarbha, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar through late May.
While the northern and central belt battles extreme heat, the southern peninsula and island regions are witnessing active weather systems. The IMD has issued heavy rainfall alerts for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with forecasts of intense showers through the week as the southwest monsoon advances toward the Indian mainland, with the onset likely in Kerala around May 26.
Thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph are also expected across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka, and Kerala, while parts of Konkan, Goa, and Madhya Maharashtra may see light to moderate rainfall. Light showers are also likely in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
The IMD has highlighted this sharp climatic contrast as India moves deeper into the pre-monsoon phase.
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