A new spell of heatwave is set to hit parts of East India starting Saturday, even as widespread rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning are expected to continue across Northwest and Central India for the next four to five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its latest forecast on Friday.
According to the IMD, heatwave conditions are likely to prevail in isolated pockets of sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on May 11 and 12; Gangetic West Bengal from May 10 to 14; Bihar and Odisha between May 11 and 14; Jharkhand from May 12 to 14; and east Uttar Pradesh on May 14 and 15.
In contrast, the Met office has also warned of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across the northeastern states between Saturday and May 13, accompanied by lightning activity.
Earlier this month, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had noted that while most parts of the country may experience above-normal temperatures in May, intermittent thunderstorms are expected to limit the severity of heatwaves when compared to last year.
India witnessed 72 heatwave days in April this year, Mohapatra said. Rajasthan and Gujarat alone recorded 6 to 11 heatwave days, significantly higher than the usual 2 to 3 days. East Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha saw 4 to 6 days of extreme heat, while Maharashtra and adjacent northern Peninsular regions reported slightly below-normal heatwave conditions, with 1 to 3 days.
Despite rising temperatures, the IMD expects most regions in India to receive normal to above-normal rainfall this month, with the exception of some areas in the northwest, central, and northeastern parts of the country.