While northern and central India face heatwaves, northeastern and Himalayan regions are expecting rain, snow, and thunderstorms, with very heavy rainfall predicted for Arunachal Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh is facing an intense spell of heat as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a five-day heatwave warning for the state. Several cities recorded dangerously high temperatures on Sunday, with Prayagraj emerging as the hottest location in the country at 44.6 degrees Celsius, nearly five degrees above normal.
Other cities such as Varanasi, Sultanpur, Banda, Agra and Jhansi also reported temperatures above 43 degrees Celsius, while Hamirpur and Fursatganj featured among the hottest places nationwide. The state capital Lucknow recorded 41.9 degrees Celsius, significantly higher than average seasonal levels.
Weather experts from the IMD Lucknow centre said the ongoing heat is being driven by dry westerly winds and stable atmospheric conditions. They warned that temperatures are likely to stay above normal for the next several days, with discomfort increasing due to unusually warm nights as well.
Authorities have advised people to avoid direct sun exposure during peak afternoon hours, stay hydrated and take necessary precautions against heat-related illness, as no immediate relief is expected.
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The IMD has also flagged heatwave conditions across several parts of the country. West Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh are likely to face extreme heat on Monday. East Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand are expected to remain affected between April 20 and 23.
Meanwhile, West Rajasthan and parts of West Uttar Pradesh may continue to experience heatwave conditions until April 22 and 23 respectively. Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Odisha have also been placed under alert for similar conditions later in the week.
Forecasts suggest a further increase of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius across northwest India over the coming days. Eastern India may also see a rise of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. High humidity in coastal and southern states is expected to make conditions feel even more uncomfortable than actual readings.
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Warm nights are likely to persist across several northern and eastern states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, adding to the overall discomfort.
While much of northern and central India struggles with heat, the northeastern and Himalayan regions are preparing for active weather conditions. Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are expected to receive rain or snow along with strong winds reaching up to 50 kmph.
In the northeast, states like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya are likely to witness widespread rain and thunderstorms, with very heavy rainfall predicted in Arunachal Pradesh on April 20 and 21.
Eastern states such as West Bengal and Odisha are likely to see light to moderate rain and thunderstorms over the next few days. Bihar has been warned of strong thunderstorm activity with wind speeds possibly reaching up to 70 kmph.
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Scattered rain and storms are also expected in parts of central and southern India, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala through the week.
