NEW DELHI: The northwest region, including New Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, witnessed heatwave conditions on Monday with maximum temperature climbing to 46 degree Celsius.
Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh was the hottest in the country with a maximum temperature of 46.5 degrees Celsius.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said two weather stations in New Delhi Najafgarh and Sports Complex reported 46.2 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Patiala district sizzled at 45.2 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest district in the state. Haryana too witnessed sweltering high temperatures. Three districts Sirsa, Hisar and Jind recorded the maximum temperature of 45.2 degrees Celsius. The IMD said maximum temperatures were around 3-4 degrees higher than the normal.
It said Rajasthan’s Churu district recorded a maximum temperature of 45.7 degrees Celsius on Monday. The IMD has asked people to cover their heads when out and keep themselves hydrated.
According to the IMD, the threshold for a heatwave is met when the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains and at least 30 degree Celsius in coastal and hilly areas. The IMD says heatwave occurs mainly between March and June and in some rare cases, even in July. It further said the peak month of the heatwave over India was May.
The region will get relief from scorching heat from Tuesday night as a fresh western disturbance, which usually brings rain, is likely to affect the northwest region. The IMD has predicted heavy rain along with thundersquall and gusty winds in the region between May 23-26.
“Heavy rain is very likely at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh on May 23 and 24. Punjab is also likely to receive heavy rain on May 24,” said the IMD in a statement.
It further said hailstorm was very likely at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh on May 23, Haryana on 24 and north Rajasthan on May 24 and 25.