IMD

Centre forms crop weather watch and crisis management groups, circulates contingency plan to states as IMD forecasts below-normal monsoon and rainfall risks

Dust storms and heavy winds hit parts of Delhi amid red and orange alerts on Saturday evening as the India Meteorological Department forecast strong thunderstorms, lightning, hail and rain. The weather department said a dust storm followed by a severe thunderstorm accompanied by lightning, hail and light to moderate rain is very likely over parts of central, northeast, southwest, west, northwest and north Delhi. Wind speeds are expected to range between 70 and 90 kmph, gusting up to 100 kmph. It said moderate thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and light to moderate rain are very likely over parts of southeast, east, central, northeast, south, southwest, west, northwest and north Delhi, as well as Shahdara and New Delhi districts. Winds may blow at speeds of 40 to 60 kmph, gusting up to 80 kmph. Light rain is also very likely over parts of south Delhi, the IMD said. It advised residents to remain indoors, avoid taking shelter under trees, stay away from weak structures and unp

Dry scorching winds and relentless heat turned Delhi into a furnace on Monday as the maximum temperatures breached the 44 degrees Celsius mark in parts of the national capital, with the city staring at an extended spell of punishing heat in the upcoming week. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi's base station at Safdarjung logged a maximum temperature of 43.4 degrees Celsius, 3 degrees above normal, while the minimum settled at 26.3 degrees Celsius. Though no heatwave conditions were officially recorded in the city, Delhi witnessed its hottest May day since 2024 on Monday. The last time the national capital recorded a higher temperature in May was on May 17 in 2024, when the mercury stood at 43.6 degrees Celsius. Among the other stations, Ridge was the hottest at 44.6 degrees Celsius, 3.1 degrees above normal, followed by Ayanagar at 44.4 degrees Celsius, 2.3 degrees above normal, Lodhi Road at 43.8 degrees Celsius, 4.8 notches above normal, and Palam at 43

Skymet Weather Services plans legal action against NCDEX over its rainfall futures launch, objecting to the exchange's partnership with IMD for the product

From climate change to concrete heat traps, rising night-time temperatures are reducing cooling hours and making heatwaves more dangerous across Indian cities

The IMD, along with its technical partners, will soon revise the criteria for declaring heatwave conditions in the country, as the present parameters do not suit India's geographical conditions, according to official sources here. Kerala, in particular, has faced difficulties in issuing heatwave warnings because of the limitations of the existing parameters. Sources in the India Meteorological Department said the state experienced severe heat and humidity this summer and, for the first time, weather forecasts were made based on the anti-cyclone system that formed near the KarnatakaMaharashtra coast. "We have never had an anti-cyclone system form closer to the South before, and this time we had to predict the weather based on it," a senior IMD official told PTI. Anti-cyclonic systems are common over north-western parts of India, but this year one formed near the southern region, leading to unusually hot nights. The anti-cyclone caused downward air movement, which pushed warm air ..

The India Meteorological Department on Friday said that the southwest monsoon is likely to set over Kerala on May 26, with a model error of ± 4 days

IMD says 2026 monsoon likely to reach parts of south Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and Andaman & Nicobar Islands by the weekend

Monsoon may arrive over Andaman and Nicobar Islands around May 14-16: IMD

India's reservoirs remain below half capacity in peak summer for a decade, as heatwaves intensify and sub-normal monsoon forecasts raise water stress concerns

With temperatures rising across several regions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) released detailed heatwave guidelines and advisories, officials said on Saturday. These include avoiding prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, especially during peak afternoon hours, staying adequately hydrated, wearing light and breathable clothing, and avoiding strenuous outdoor activities during high-temperature periods. The IMD advised special care for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions. "The department emphasised that early awareness and preventive action are critical in reducing heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke," an official said. In its latest assessment, the IMD said that maximum temperatures in many parts of northwest, central, and peninsular India currently range between 40 degrees Celsius and 44 degrees Celsius, with the highest temperature of 44.5 degrees Celsius recorded at Sri ...

As Delhiites were greeted by an unusually cloudy day amid rising temperatures, the India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert in the national capital, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by light rain. The weather department has predicted thunderstorms accompanied by light rain later in the day in a few isolated pockets of the city. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 24 degrees Celsius -- the highest so far this season -- while the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 39 degrees Celsius, according to the weather office. Explaining the prevailing conditions, meteorologists said the haziness and cloud cover are due to an induced cyclonic circulation over western parts of Rajasthan and the neighbouring Pakistan. "Dust particles from these areas have travelled towards Delhi-NCR, resulting in a layer of dust haze and a deterioration in air quality," they said. Thunderstorm and light rain activity was reported in parts surrounding Delhi, including Ganganag

The call is for urgent conservation and replenishment measures, both for now and the future

The forecast, which has a model error of plus or minus 5 per cent, is mainly due to the development of El Niño conditions during the June to September months, the Met department said

IMD says east, central and northwest India may witness more heatwave days than normal during April -June

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its forecast today said that rain and hailstorms will continue over North and Central India over the next few days till March 31

A late morning light rain hit the national capital, which recorded 2.5 notches above normal minimum temperature at the outset. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert forecasting light rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds during the day in several areas. The IMD said areas such as southwest Delhi, parts of west Delhi, central Delhi, Shahdara, east Delhi, north Delhi, south Delhi and southeast Delhi are likely to witness rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, and advised residents to remain updated. It also predicted wind speeds ranging between 30 and 40 kilometres per hour. According to IMD officials, the ongoing spell of unusual weather in March is linked to a series of western disturbances affecting northwest India. These disturbances have been influencing the region since March 15 and are approaching at a lower altitude than usual, impacting weather patterns over Delhi. As a result, isolated parts of the city might experience high wind .

The IMD has cautioned that increased heatwave conditions could exacerbate heat-related illnesses, particularly among the elderly, children, and outdoor workers

Above-normal heatwave days are expected over most parts of the country between March and May, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its monthly forecast on Saturday. These parts include West Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, southern and eastern Maharashtra, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of north Karnataka and north Tamil Nadu. "During the MarchAprilMay (MAM) season, the increased likelihood of heatwave conditions may pose significant risks to public health, water resources, power demand, and essential services, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, outdoor workers, and individuals with pre-existing medical conditions," IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said at a press conference here. During March, however, maximum temperatures are likely to be normal to below normal over many parts of the country, except northeast and east India, and some part

A mainly clear sky is predicted for Delhi on Sunday, with maximum temperature expected to hover around 28 degrees Celsius, the weather office said. The national capital recorded a high of 28.1 degrees Celsius on Saturday, 2.6 degrees above the season's average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. According to the IMD, a minimum temperature of 14.2 degrees Celsius, 2.4 degrees above the season's average, was registered in Delhi. On Sunday, the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 28 degrees Celsius with a mainly cloudy sky, the weather office added. The relative humidity was registered at 50 per cent at 5.30 pm. Delhi's air quality index (AQI) remained in the "poor" category at 6 pm on Saturday, with a reading of 211, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe', the data showed.