While temperatures have gone near 49 degrees Celsius in heatwave-hit states where no relief is on cards, a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is moving towards becoming a cyclonic storm and hitting West Bengal coasts by May 26.
With large parts of India sweltered under heatwave for the seventh day on the trot on Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted that similar conditions are likely to continue for the next five days as well.
Mercury soared to 48.8 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan's Barmer on Thursday, the highest temperature recorded in the country this year so far.
Cyclone 'Rema', Heatwave & More | Top Weather Updates
Pre-Cyclone Alert For Bengal: A well-marked low-pressure area lies over Westcentral and adjoining South Bay of Bengal, IMD said, adding that it is very likely to intensify into a "Cyclonic Storm" by May 25 morning and reach near Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts by May 26 evening as a "Severe Cyclonic Storm".
What Will Be The Cyclone's Name: This is the first cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this pre-monsoon season and will be named 'Remal' when it turns into a cyclonic storm, according to a system of naming cyclones in the Indian Ocean region.
Rain Forecast Over Possible Cyclone 'Remal': As per IMD, light to moderate rainfall is expected most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over coastal districts of West Bengal and adjoining districts of North Odisha on May 26 and 27. Light to moderate rainfall is likely at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Mizoram, Tripura and South Manipur on May 26 and 27.
Mercury In Rajasthan Nears 49 Deg C: Mercury soared to 48.8 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan's Barmer, the highest temperature recorded in the country this year so far. Official data showed that at least 16 places in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh recorded maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or above on Thursday.
Heatwave To Continue: IMD said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are very likely in many/most parts of Rajasthan during May 23-27; in some/many parts of Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh during May 23-27; West Uttar Pradesh during May 26 and 27; in isolated pockets of Delhi during May 24-27. Heatwave conditions are also very likely in isolated pockets of Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha during May 23-27; Gujarat during May 23-26; West Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Maharashtra during May 23-25; Punjab on May 23; East Uttar Pradesh during May 25-27 May.
Red Alert In Kerala For Heavy Rain: As Kerala reels under the impact of heavy pre-monsoon rains, the IMD on Thursday revised its weather forecast and issued a red alert for two districts in the state. Heavy rains continued to lash several parts of the state, leading to waterlogging in the low-lying areas of major cities, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Thrissur and Kozhikode. The weather department issued a red alert for Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. Earlier, these two place were placed under orange alert.
