Light rainfall and dust storm brought some respite to the heatwave-hit states of Delhi and Rajasthan on Saturday. However, intense hot weather conditions prevailed in other parts of northern India.
The India Meteorological Department issued Orange Alert for rainfall in 6 states, Kerala, Mahe, Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Sikkim.
SOUTHWEST MONSOON
The IMD observed that the Southwest Monsoon has advanced into some parts of central Arabian Sea, remaining parts of Lakshadweep area, Kerala and Tamil Nadu along with some parts of Karnataka, Rayalaseema and Andhra Pradesh.
The weather office said that conditions are favourable for the Southwest Monsoon to further advance into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, West-central and Northwest Bay of Bengal during next 2-3 days.
Notably, an "orange alert" was issued for Kerala, Mahe, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim for Saturday.
"Kerala, Mahe, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim is very likely to get isolated heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) on 02nd June, 2024," IMD said.
While the alert for Assam and Meghalaya for isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall was for June 2 to June 4.
An orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm.
RAINFALL WITH THUNDERSTORM, GUSTY WINDS
Noting that a cyclonic circulation lies over Southern parts of East Uttar Pradesh, the IMD said that light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds very likely over Bihar and Gangetic West Bengal.
Isolated very light to light rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds very likely over Punjab and Haryana during June 3-6, Uttar Pradesh during June 2-5 and Rajasthan on June 2 and 3.
RAIN FORECAST FOR NEXT WEEK
The MeT department forecast isolated to scattered light or moderate rainfall in Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh, Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada during next five days.
Due to the cylonic circulation, strong westerly winds are blowing along Kerala Coast. Meanwhile, during the next week, Kerala and Mahe, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Karnataka are likely to receive light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm and gusty winds.
Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rayalaseema are likely to get light to moderate rainfall during the next 7 days.
In view of a Western Disturbance light rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds is very likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzzafarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand for the next 5 days.
RAIN LASHES KERALA; ORANGE, YELLOW ALERTS ISSUED
Southwest monsoon brought widespread rains to Kerala on Sunday, with the IMD issuing an orange alert for Ernakulam and yellow alert for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Idukki, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad and Wayanad.
A yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.
Meanwhile, district authorities said that 582 people belonging to 182 families have been shifted to relief camps in Kottayam district after heavy rains and floods.
As many as 33 relief camps have been opened so far in Kottayam, Kanjirappally, Vaikom and Changanassery taluks.
The state Disaster Management Authority cautioned people against possible threats of landslides and mudslides in hilly areas and urged them to shift to safer areas.
People living in low-lying areas, where waterlogging occurs frequently, should move to relief camps after assessing the rain situation, it said.
RESPITE FROM HEAT FOR DELHI
The national capital on Saturday experienced some respite from severe heatwave conditions after a dust storm hit the city. However the maximum temperature settled at 44.2 degrees Celsius, which is four notches above normal, the weather office said.
In its bulletin, the IMD said that Najafgarh saw a high of 44.6 degree Celsius, Narela at 46.2, Aya Nagar at 44.4, Pusa at 45.2, Pitampura at 44.7 degree and Palam recorded 44.1 degree Celsius.
Notably, the minimum temperature on Saturday was recorded at 30.2 degree Celsius, three notches above the season's average.
The maximum and minimum temperature are likely to settle at 23 and 29 degree Celsius, respectively.
TEMPERATURES COME DOWN IN RAJASTHAN
Temperatures in several parts of Rajasthan saw a dip on Sunday, owing to the light rainfall the state received, the weather office said.
Sriganganagar was the hottest at 46.2 degree Celsius, closely followed by Kota at 46.1 degree Celsius.
The Met department predicted partly cloudy weather and light rains in some parts of Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur and Kota during the next 48 hours. Heatwave conditions are likely to occur at Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Dholpur and Bharatpur.
Meanwhile, the number of deaths caused by heatstroke went up to nine on Saturday, PTI cited an official report.
HEATWAVE WARNINGS FOR NEXT 5 DAYS
The India Meteorological Department said that heat wave conditions are very likely in some parts of Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, isolated pockets of Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Odisha, Vidarbha during June 2 - June 4.
While Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh on Monday, June 3.
The weather office said that Uttar Pradesh during June 2-5, Jharkhand during June 4-6 and Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi on June 5.
Isolated pockets of Bihar, Konkan and Goa and Odisha are likely to experience hot and humid weather during the next 4-5 days.
HEATSTROKE DEATHS: HEALTH MINISTRY DATA
Data from the Union Health Ministry showed that India has recorded 56 deaths 24849 suspected heatstroke cases between March and May.
As per the data compiled by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 46 of these deaths were recorded in May alone.
Between May 1 and 30, 19,189 suspected heat stroke cases were reported in the country, it said.
On Friday alone, the nation reported at least 40 suspected heatstroke-related deaths and of those, 25 were Lok Sabha poll duty staff in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The cause of death should be certified as heat stroke or hyperthermia where the measured antemortem body temperature at the time of collapse was more than or equal to 40.6 degrees Celsius, NCDC said.
(With PTI inputs)
