Weather updates: IMD’s ‘heatwave to severe heatwave’ alerts for Odisha, Tamil Nadu, these states

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday, April 24, the scorching heatwave is likely to continue sweeping most of east India as well as spread to southern India.

The IMD said Odisha has been experiencing heatwave conditions since April 15, while West Bengal has been affected since April 17.

In an official statement, the IMD forecasts ‘heatwave to severe heatwave’ conditions in eastern India and southern peninsular India over the next five days.

These conditions are expected to prevail in parts of West Bengal, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand.

Additionally, high humidity levels may exacerbate discomfort in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Bihar.

A heatwave is officially recognised when the maximum temperature at a weather station reaches 40 degrees Celsius or higher in the plains, 37 degrees in coastal areas, and 30 degrees in hilly regions, with a departure from the normal temperature of at least 4.5 notches. If the departure from normal temperature exceeds 6.4 notches, it is classified as a severe heatwave.

With El Niño conditions prevailing but weakening, the IMD had previously cautioned about extreme heat during the April-June period, coinciding with the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, raising concerns about susceptibility to heatwaves.

Let’s take a look at weather conditions across India:

Maharashtra

IMD issued a heatwave alert for Maharashtra’s Thane and Raigad districts, as well as parts of Mumbai, from April 27 to 29.

IMD scientist Sushma Nair told PTI that an anti-cyclonic circulation over these areas is expected to cause a temperature surge. The peak temperatures are anticipated on April 27 and 28. This marks the second heatwave alert for Mumbai and its neighbouring regions this month.

Tripura

On Tuesday, the Tripura Disaster Management Authority issued a public advisory aimed at minimising the impact of the ongoing hot and humid weather expected to persist for several days.

Tripura’s revenue department said in a statement, “The state is reeling under hot and humid weather conditions since last week. According to an IMD report, similar conditions may continue for more days. There are cautions from the medical fraternity asking people to avoid exposure to blazing sun and heat which might even in the worst case result in sun strokes. Similarly, IMD is updating the weather reports and issuing daily bulletins with advisories for key stakeholders and the general public for handling hot and humid weather.”

Odisha

One person died and 124 hospitalizations due to heat-related ailments were reported across 16 districts in Odisha. A death from heatstroke occurred in Balasore district.

Some districts recorded maximum temperatures exceeding 45.2°C this summer.

The Meteorological Department predicted a maximum daytime temperature of 45°C in the next 24 hours as Odisha remained engulfed by a heatwave.

Uttar Pradesh

Parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Varanasi and nearby areas of Purvanchal, remained under the sway of oppressive heat since Saturday. The maximum daytime temperature soared close to 43°C in these regions, as per the IMD.

Delhi

On Tuesday evening, Delhi witnessed a sudden shift in weather as rain poured down in various parts of the national capital.

Airport sources reported that 15 flights had to be diverted from Delhi due to adverse weather conditions in the national capital. Additionally, eight individuals sustained injuries when a house wall collapsed during the sudden rainfall and storm in the Malviya Nagar area.

Dr Naresh Kumar, a senior scientist at IMD, informed ANI that temperatures could soar up to 44 degrees Celsius in Eastern India over the next 4-5 days.