The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has put out a heatwave alert for Delhi and some of the north Indian states, predicting a rise in temperatures over the next week. Delhi is likely to experience very severe heat on April 7 and 8, when the temperature may rise up to 42°C.
National capital New Delhi might see heatwave conditions from April 5 to April 8, according to the regional weather office in New Delhi. While on April 5, maximums are likely to be around 38°C to 40°C, lows might remain in the range of 18°C to 20°C. It will become little hotter on April 6 with highs at 39°C to 41°C and lows between 19°C to 21°C. The summit is most likely on April 7 and 8, with the maximum temperatures expected to reach between 40°C and 42°C, and minimums between 20°C and 23°C. But the IMD has explained that “no warm night condition is likely during this time.”
Delhi experienced a high of 38.4°C on Friday, 4.4°C higher than the average normal, and the minimum settled at 18.8°C, as reported by the MeT department. Isolated heatwave conditions and vigorous surface winds are in the forecast for parts of Delhi on Saturday.
Heatwave to Grip Multiple States
Apart from Delhi, heatwave conditions are predicted over scattered parts of south Haryana, west Uttar Pradesh, and Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat between April 5 and April 9. Punjab and the state of Gujarat might experience similar conditions between April 6 and April 9, while Himachal Pradesh is likely to feel the heat from April 5 to April 7.
West Rajasthan can expect heatwave conditions from April 5 to April 10, and east Rajasthan can expect similar conditions from April 6 to April 10. West Madhya Pradesh is also on alert for a heatwave from April 7 to April 10.
Besides heatwaves, humid conditions are expected to continue in Gujarat from April 5 to April 10, and in Konkan and Goa from April 5 to April 9, 2025.
Summer Likely to Be Hotter Than Average
Earlier this week, the IMD issued a warning of above-normal temperatures in India from April to June, along with a higher number of heatwave days. Although the nation typically has four to seven heatwave days during this time, some states could surpass that average this year.
States like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and the northern regions of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will all be impacted. More specifically, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha might experience between 10 to 11 heatwave days.
India witnessed one of its hottest summers last year, with 536 heatwave days — the most in the past 14 years. Also, the year 2024 has been documented as the warmest year on record both domestically and internationally.
Rainfall Prediction for Southern and Northeastern States
While the north prepares for hot temperatures, southern and northeastern states are expected to experience light to moderate rain over the weekend.
“Light to moderate rain is expected at a few locations on Saturday,” the Chennai Met Centre said of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal. Thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph are also likely at one or two places. Isolated heavy rain is possible in districts like Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Erode, Theni, Dindigul, Salem, and Tiruppur.”.
On and off rain at scattered places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal during April 6 to April 10. The same way light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds are expected in South Peninsular India, Odisha, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Northeast India on April 5 and 6.
The IMD has predicted isolated hailstorms over Assam and Meghalaya on April 5, and over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura on April 6. Heavy rain is expected over Kerala & Mahe and Assam & Meghalaya on April 5 and 6, over Tamil Nadu, South Interior Karnataka, and Arunachal Pradesh on April 5, and over the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and northeastern states on April 6.