Delhi sizzles at 41.3 degrees Celsius, light rain likely today; yellow alert for heatwave in 8 Odisha districts
The national capital is likely to see some relief from the oppressive heat as light rain or thundershowers are predicted for two days, beginning Tuesday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
On Monday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 41.3 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature was 25.2 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity oscillated between 46 and 28 per cent.
On May 18, thunderstorm with rain is also likely to occur in the city. From May 19, clear skies are predicted with no relief thereafter with temperatures expected to hover beyond 40 degrees Celsius, the IMD forecast said.
VISIBILITY REDUCED AT DELHI AIRPORT
Dust-laden strong winds are prevailing over Delhi-NCR since 6 am and has reduced the visibility to 1,100 metres at IGI airport in the national capital.
The dust present over Delhi is due to the cyclonic circulation prevailing over Rajasthan. Due to the cyclonic circulation, dust storm and light rain activities are happening in north Rajasthan. Such conditions are likely to prevail over isolated pockets of Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and some parts of Punjab for three to four days, the weather office said.
For the past five days, there has been intense heat with temperatures mostly above 40 degrees in the region. Since midnight, strong and gusty winds are lifting large amounts of sand and dust from bare, dry soils due to less rainfall in the region.
HEATWAVE IN ODISHA
Heatwave conditions are likely to prevail in pockets of Gangetic West Bengal, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on Tuesday and in pockets of Odisha for two more days.
Heat conditions prevailed across Odisha as at least 15 places recorded temperatures above 42 degrees Celsius on Monday. The IMD forecast heatwave conditions for three more days, while issuing yellow warning for eight districts, including, Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sonepur and Balangir on Tuesday.
RAIN IN NORTHEAST
Heavy rainfall is likely to occur on Tuesday in some places over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, the IMD said.
East Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on May 16, May 18 and May 19.
Thunderstorm with lightning and gusty winds is very likely at isolated places over Madhya Pradesh, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on Tuesday. Lightning is possible on Tuesday at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, west Uttar Pradesh, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Karaikal and Mahe.
Squally winds having a speed of 40-45 km/hr, gusting to 55 km/hr is likely over south-east Arabian sea adjoining Lakshadweep and Maldives area, according to the Met office.