New Delhi: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday predicted that over the next five days, several parts of the country with a keen focus on the eastern India are likely to witness heatwave and a rise in temperature.
Earlier this week, the maximum temperatures soared within the range of 42-45°C across much of Odisha and Rayalaseema.
Similarly, such conditions were also observed in some parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, southwest Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Yanam, where temperatures ranged between 40-42°C.
According to the weather office, heat Wave to severe heat wave conditions are very likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Gangetic West Bengal during next 5 days.
Similarly, it also predicts heat wave conditions in isolated pockets over Interior Karnataka during next 5 days, Odisha and Jharkhand on 25 and 26; East Uttar Pradesh during 23-26, West Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal during 24 - 26 April.
On the contrary, heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds, is anticipated at isolated locations in Northeast India. Meanwhile, moderate thunderstorms, along with lightning and gusty winds, are forecasted over East and Central India for the next two days.
Snowfall Forecast
Due to a cyclonic circulation that lies over northeast Assam and another over northeast Bangladesh in lower tropospheric levels, IMD predicts "Fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall/snowfall accompanied with isolated thunderstorm & lightning & gusty winds (30-40 kmph) very likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam & Meghalaya and isolated to scattered rainfall over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura during 23-28 April."
It also forecasts Isolated light/moderate rainfall accompanied with isolated thunderstorm & lightning & gusty winds (30- 40 kmph) over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim during 23 -24, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal and Jharkhand on 23 April.
IMD also forecast isolated heavy rainfall over Arunachal Pradesh during 23-24 April while isolated very heavy rainfall on 23 April.
Phase Two Elections
The second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for April 26, will witness voting in 89 constituencies spread across 13 states and union territories.
It is pertinent to note here that amid the scorching heat being witnessed in several parts of the country during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday held a meeting with agencies concerned to understand the weather and discuss measures to mitigate any risk due to hot weather conditions during the general elections.
The Director General of the India Meteorological Department Mrutyunjay Mohapatra (DG IMD) informed the poll panel that there is no major concern about heatwave for phase 2 of the general elections scheduled for April 26.
As per the schedule, states/UTs where second phase of voting would be done include - Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Jammu Kashmir.
According to the IMD, a Western Disturbance over Afghanistan and adjoining Pakistan is likely to affect the Western Himalayan Region from the 26th of April, resulting in scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall/snowfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and the possibility of hailstorms in certain areas.
Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are among the regions expected to be influenced by these weather patterns during specific periods. Strong surface winds are also expected to prevail over Uttar Pradesh.
