North India Sizzles Under Heatwave As Rain Batters South, East And West

New Delhi: India on Monday will experience two different weathers conditions simultaneously and neither will be gentle. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), North India will be hit by intense heat and a heatwave, while on the other hand South  will be hit by heavy rain and storms. 

What did the IMD say?

The IMD on Monday has issued an alert for several states, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi. The maximum temperature in Delhi could reach 43 to 45 degrees Celsius, which is about three to five degrees above normal. 

The IMD had predicted that hot winds will blow at 20 to 30 kilometers per hour during the day.

What about the temperature in Northwest?

For the past several days, Rajasthan has been experiencing intense heat and the IMD has predicted that heatwave conditions will continue until May 23. Many parts of Uttar Pradesh will experience severe heatwave conditions from May 19.

On May 16, temperatures in Amravati and Wardha in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region reached 46 degrees Celsius, the highest in the country that day. A heatwave alert is also in effect in Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha until May 21. Temperatures in northwest India could rise another 3 to 5 degrees by May 21, meaning the coming days will be even more difficult.

Will it rain in the south and northeast?

While the northwest heats up, heavy rains will lash Northeast and south. Assam and Meghalaya will experience widespread rainfall on Monday, accompanied by lightning and strong winds of up to 40 to 50 kilometers per hour. Heavy rains are possible at isolated places in Arunachal Pradesh.

In parts of South India, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, the Karnataka coast, and Lakshadweep will experience scattered thunderstorms, strong winds up to 50 kilometers per hour, and heavy rainfall at isolated places. Hailstorms are possible in isolated areas of interior Karnataka. Storms will also affect the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where winds can reach speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour.

When will monsoon arrive?

The monsoon is slowly moving northward. The IMD said that over the next two to three days, the monsoon will advance into the southeast Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the remaining Andaman Islands.

The arrival date of the monsoon in Kerala is expected to be May 26. Fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea until May 22 in Kerala, Karnataka, the Gulf of Mannar, the Comorin area, and parts of the Bay of Bengal.