New Delhi: A severe heatwave continues to grip several states, including Delhi and Rajasthan, causing widespread distress. Reports from Noida indicate that 14 people have succumbed to the intense heat.
Record High Night Temperatures in Delhi
On Wednesday, Delhi experienced its hottest night in 12 years, with a minimum temperature of 35.2 degrees Celsius, eight degrees above the seasonal average. This surpassed the previous record set in June 2012, when the minimum temperature was 34 degrees Celsius. The night between Tuesday and Wednesday was the hottest so far this season, with a temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius.
Monsoon Expected in Delhi by June 30
IMD scientist Dr. Naresh Kumar stated that a red alert was issued yesterday for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. However, conditions have improved today, with rainfall activity observed in Bihar. An orange alert is now in effect for Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi NCR, while a red alert remains for western Uttar Pradesh for the next two days. Delhi NCR temperatures are expected to hover around 40 degrees Celsius. The monsoon is anticipated to arrive in Delhi NCR by June 30, and light rain and dust storms are expected in Delhi today.
Heavy Rainfall Expected in Parts of Gujarat
Director of the Meteorological Department, Dr. Ramashray Yadav, forecasted heavy rainfall in Navsari, Surat, Valsad, Gir-Somnath, Amreli, Daman, and Dadar & Nagar Haveli today. Tomorrow, light to moderate rainfall is expected in all southern Gujarat districts and the districts of Aravalli, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Panchmahal, and Dahod. Temperatures in Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad are expected to remain around 40 degrees Celsius for the next five days.
Monsoon to Reach Several States in the Next Three to Four Days
The IMD reports that the monsoon is expected to reach Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, coastal Andhra Pradesh, northwestern Bay of Bengal, parts of Bihar, and Jharkhand within the next three to four days.
India Receives 20% Less Rainfall Since June 1
Since the start of the monsoon season on June 1, India has received 20% less rainfall than average. From June 1 to June 18, the country recorded 64.5 mm of rainfall, compared to the long-term average of 80.6 mm. North-west India received 10.2 mm of rain (70% less than normal), central India 50.5 mm (31% less), the southern peninsula 106.6 mm (16% more), and east and north-east India 146.7 mm (15% less).
Monsoon Progress
The southwest monsoon reached parts of the Nicobar Islands on May 19 and, following Cyclone Remal on May 26, extended to most southern regions and parts of the central Bay of Bengal. It arrived in Kerala and the northeastern states two and six days earlier than usual, respectively, on May 30. By June 12, the monsoon had reached all of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, most of southern Maharashtra, southern Chhattisgarh, parts of southern Odisha, most of sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, and the northeastern states.