The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of above-normal temperatures and an increased number of heatwave days across much of India from April to June. In line with this, the national capital is expected to witness a heatwave spell over the coming week.

According to the weather department, temperatures in Delhi are forecast to touch 40-42 degrees Celsius on April 7 and 8, right after Ram Navami. On April 4, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 38.4 degrees Celsius, which was 4.4 degrees Celsius above normal, and a minimum of 18.8 degrees Celsius.

For today, April 5, isolated heatwave conditions accompanied by strong surface winds are likely in the city. The Regional Meteorological Centre has issued a yellow alert for April 5-8, forecasting an intensification of heatwave conditions during this period.

IMD also issued heatwave warnings for several parts of north and central India. The affected states include Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan. Additionally, Delhi, West Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra & Kutch and the Gujarat region are also under alert. The heatwave advisory will remain in effect from April 5 to April 10, depending on the specific region.

IMD predicts rainfall in THESE states

At the same time, a cyclonic circulation, coupled with moisture incursion from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, is expected to bring moderate to heavy rainfall to several areas in southern and northeastern India.

According to the IMD forecast, heavy rainfall is likely in Kerala until April 6. On April 5, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Arunachal Pradesh may experience showers, while Assam and Meghalaya are expected to receive rain between April 5 and 6. On April 6, rainfall is predicted in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

In view of the forecast, the IMD has issued an orange alert for Assam, while yellow alerts have been sounded for other southern states, signaling the likelihood of significant rainfall and the need for precautionary measures.