Heat waves likely to abate in next 3 days, wet spells of rains predicted for North-west India, heavy spells for Western Himalayas

People in many parts of India are reeling under harsh spell of heat waves. But they may have some respite in a few days. The met department says that heat waves would abate after three days, and there are likely to be spells of rains over North-west India and in parts of Western Himalayas. "Heat wave likely to continue over East India during next 3 days and abate thereafter," the met department said in a statement on Wednesday.  

"Wet spell over North-west India from April 19 to 21 are expected to start, and there is a possibility of heavy spell over Western Himalayas," it further said. 

Delhi records strong winds early morning

After facing heat waves and above-normal temperature for many days, Delhiites finally had some relief from high tempearatures.

Strong winds swept through the Capital in the morning while a spell of light rain is predicted to provide further relief from the heat in the national capital on Wednesday.

Five flights were diverted from Delhi to Jaipur between 3 am and 5:30 am due to the strong winds, an official at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport said.

Delhi's primary weather station, the Safdarjung Observatory, registered a minimum temperature of 23.6 degrees Celsius, two notches higher than normal.

The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 38 degrees Celsius.

Delhi had recorded a maximum temperature of 40.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

This was the fourth consecutive day that the maximum temperature settled above 40 degrees Celsius here.

Parts of the Capital reeled under heatwave conditions for the third consecutive day on Tuesday.

The threshold for a heatwave is met when the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, at least 37 degrees Celsius in coastal areas, and at least 30 degrees Celsius in hilly regions, and the departure from normal is at least 4.5 degrees Celsius.

Earlier this month, the MeT office predicted above-normal maximum temperatures for most parts of the country from April to June, except parts of the northwest and the peninsular regions.

Above-normal heatwave days are expected in most parts of central, east, and northwest India during this period.

In 2022, Delhi recorded its second hottest April since 1951 with a monthly average maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius.

The city saw nine heatwave days in April last year, including four in the first 10 days, which was the maximum in the month since 2010.

It had recorded a high of 43.5 degrees Celsius on April 28 and April 29 last year. This was the highest maximum temperature in the month of April in Delhi in 12 years.

(With inputs from PTI)