IMD issues ‘Orange’ alert for Delhi amid heatwave; forecasts heavy rainfall in Northeast India

Delhi has been witnessing intense heat waves for some days now. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has now issued an ‘Orange’ alert for the next three days after Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 44.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday, which is six degrees above the season’s average. The weather department predicts clear skies and heatwave conditions in several parts of the city.

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This also means people should be prepared for extreme heat. The maximum and minimum temperatures in the capital are expected to be around 45 and 32 degrees Celsius, respectively, over the coming days.

In contrast to the heatwave in Delhi, North East India is bracing for heavy rainfall. Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Tripura are all predicted to experience significant rain on Monday and Tuesday. The IMD has issued an orange alert for Arunachal Pradesh and a red alert for Assam, Meghalaya, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim due to expected heavy to very heavy rainfall. Additionally, thunderstorms with lightning are anticipated in extreme northeast Bihar within the next few hours.

In the southern part of the country, the southwest monsoon has already begun in Maharashtra, affecting areas such as Jalgaon, Navsari, Jalgaon, Amravati, and Chandrapur, as well as regions like Bijapur, Sukma, Vizianagaram, Malkangiri, and Islampur. Conditions are favourable for the monsoon to advance further into more parts of Maharashtra, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and the northwest Bay of Bengal in the next three to four days.

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However, despite its early arrival on June 11, the monsoon has stalled in Gujarat. The southwest monsoon entered the state earlier than usual, but has not progressed in the past four days due to unfavourable conditions. Ramashray Yadav, a scientist at IMD's Ahmedabad met centre, explained that typically the monsoon would advance further into Gujarat by June 15 and cover most of the state by June 30. The IMD predicts light thunderstorms in isolated places across several districts over the next five days. Meanwhile, south Gujarat districts, including Valsad and the neighbouring Union Territory of Daman and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, are expected to experience heavy rainfall on June 19.