IMD issues red alert for Assam, Meghalaya; heatwave to peak in north India

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued a red alert for Assam and Meghalaya from May 26-28,  predicting very heavy to heavy rainfall. 
 

"There is a strong flow of south-westerly winds from the Bay of Bengal, bringing a lot of moisture to these two states," PTI quoted Sathi Devi, head of the IMD's national weather forecasting centre as saying. 

The IMD also said that rainfall is likely at most places, with heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at isolated places. A few isolated will also receive extremely heavy falls, it added. "Red-colour coded warning has been issued to Assam and Meghalaya for the next three days," IMD director general Mrurunjay Mohapatra said. He added that Northeast India gets maximum rainfall in June, followed by May.

A pedestrian uses an umbrella to protect himself during rain. Photo: PTI

It is worth mentioning that the monsoons which were likely to arrive in Kerala on June 1 have been delayed by over a week due to recently passed cyclone Amphan. However, weather experts predict that the advancement of the monsoon is likely to begin from Wednesday. 

"Monsoon will start moving ahead in other parts of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago and Bay of Bengal from Wednesday," Sathi added. According to the IMD, the monsoon is likely to hit Kerala on June 5, four days after its normal onset date.

A low-pressure area is also building up in the Arabian Sea from May 30, Mohapatra said. A low-pressure area is the first stage of any cyclone. However, it is not necessary that every low-pressure area intensifies into a cyclone. The IMD has also cautioned fishermen along the coasts of Kerala, Karnataka not to venture out for deep sea fishing from May 30-June 4.

Heatwave to peak

The IMD predicted that heatwave conditions are slated to peak due to prevailing dry winds blowing over northwest India, central India and adjoining interior parts of eastern India. Heat conditions will persist over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, and Vidarbha till May 28. "Please watch out for hot afternoons and avoid going out between 11 am and 3 pm," IANS quoted IMD's Deputy Director-General of Meteorology K.S. Hosalikar as saying. 

The IMD has issued red alert in several districts in north India. (Source: IMD)

Hot weather conditions will also prevail in isolated pockets over Punjab, Chhattisgarh, interior Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, interior Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, and Jharkhand for the next two to three days. 

However, the department maintained that there will be some respite from the night of May 28 when the Western Disturbance will affect northwest India and easterly winds will also prevail at lower levels of the atmosphere. The Western Disturbance is a cyclonic storm that originates in the Mediterranean Sea and travels across central Asia. When it comes in contact with the Himalayas, it brings rains to the hills and the plains. 

The MeT office warned of a duststorm or thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds very likely at isolated places over East UP on Wednesday.

Heat wave alert is issued if the maximum temperaturein the area reaches at least 40°C or more for Plains, 37°C or more for coastal regions and at least 30°C or more for Hills. 

Meanwhile, during the day, intense weather activity was witnessed over interior parts of Karnataka, including in state capital Bengaluru, leading to uprooting of trees and waterlogging.