Heatwave may continue in several parts of India during next 24 hours: IMD

North and central India will continue to reel under a scorching heatwave for the next 24 hours, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday. 

"Due to the prevailing dry north-westerly winds over plains of northwest India, central India and the adjoining interior parts of eastern India, the present heatwave conditions are very likely to continue during next 24 hours," the IMD was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.

Heatwave conditions at many places with severe heatwave in isolated pockets are very likely over Vidarbha, west Rajasthan, the IMD said. North and central India have been reeling under a severe heatwave and temperatures have soared over 47 degrees Celsius at a few places. 

On Tuesday, Delhi recorded a maximum of 47.6 degrees Celsius in the Palam area, while most places saw their maximum temperatures six notches above the normal. Heatwave conditions continued unabated yesterday at many places in Uttar Pradesh with Allahabad being the hottest place in the state at 47.1 degrees Celsius, the meteorological department said.

In large areas, a heat wave is declared when the maximum temperature is 45 degrees Celsius for two consecutive days and a severe heatwave is when the mercury touches the 47 degrees-mark for two days on the trot. In small areas like Delhi, heatwave is declared if the temperature soars to 45 degrees Celsius even for a day, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Severe heatwave conditions prevailed in parts of Rajasthan, with the mercury touching 50 degrees Celsius in Churu district. Though the IMD has predicted some relief from the scorching heat for the people in Varanasi in the next few days.

Heatwave conditions are also likely in some pockets over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and east Rajasthan, and in isolated pockets over Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Saurashtra and Kutch, central Maharashtra and Marathwada, Telangana and north interior Karnataka during the next 24 hours, the IMD added.

A western disturbance is likely to give some relief on May 29 and 30. During this period, parts of north India are likely to witness dust storms and thunderstorms.

Western disturbance is a cyclonic circulation which originates in the Mediterranean Sea. Traversing central Asia, it brings rains to the hills and plains when it comes in contact with the Himalayas.

On the progress of the southwest monsoon, the national weather forecasting centre of the IMD said it has further advanced into some more parts of south Bay of Bengal, most parts of Andaman Sea and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

"Conditions are becoming favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some parts of Maldives-Comorin area and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea, remaining parts of Andaman Sea and some more parts of south and central Bay of Bengal during next 48 hours," it added.