Heatwave abating in most parts of the country, Maha, Gujarat to wait a bit longer

New Delhi, May 02: After being soaked in the heat for the past couple of weeks, the country is expected to get some relief from the sweltering maximum temperatures across Northwest and east India.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the temperatures are likely to drop by 2 to 4 degree Celsius over the next three days.

The country has been witnessing extreme heat since April 28. On Sunday, Bikaner recorded a maximum temperature of 47.1 degree Celsius, which happens to be the highest in the country.

The IMD forecast issued on Sunday says that the maximum temperatures are likely to fall by 3 to 4 degree Celsius over most part of Northwest India in the next two days. However no significant change is. expected in the maximum temperatures over most parts of Central India in the next 2 days followed by a 2 to 3 degree Celsius fall thereafter. This has been forecast in the case of Gujarat and Maharashtra in the next 3 days.

Meanwhile, the intense heatwave that prevailed over southern and western districts of West Bengal is abating owing to a change in wind direction and incursion of moisture from the Bay of Bengal, the Met department said.

The department said it is closely monitoring the possible formation of a low pressure system in the South Andaman Sea.

Kolkata and several districts in south Bengal received welcome showers on Saturday after a gap of over two months, as the Met office predicted more nor'westers in the region owing to weather conditions.

"We are closely monitoring the possible formation of a cyclonic circulation in South Andaman Sea on May 4, under the influence of which a low pressure system is likely to develop over the area by May 6 and intensify further in subsequent 24 hours," deputy director general of Regional Meteorological Centre, Sanjib Bandopadhyay told PTI.

He said that the Met department is closely monitoring its possible development and subsequent intensity and direction that the system may take.

"It is too early to predict the direction of the system, but we are keeping a close watch," Regional Meteorological Centre director G K Das told PTI.

He, however, added that since it is the month of May and the development area of the system is the Andaman Sea, there is a chance of the low pressure intensifying, but that can be determined after one or two days.

Saturday's nor'wester brought 31.2 mm rainfall at Dumdum in the city's northern limits, while 13.7 mm rainfall was recorded at Alipore Regional Met Centre here.

IMD data said that Kanthi in Purba Medinipur district received 30 mm rain.

Purulia and Bankura, the two most affected districts in the heatwave, received 20 mm and 15 mm rainfall respectively, bringing much-needed relief to the denizens and the parched soil, the IMD said.

The maximum day temperature in Purulia reached 44.3 degree Celsius on April 28, while in Bankura the mercury touched 43.7 degree Celsius a day before on April 27.

On Sunday, Purulia recorded a maximum temperature of 36.3 degree Celsius, while in Bankura it was 34.8 degree, the Met data said.

Kolkata recorded a maximum day temperature of 34.7 degree Celsius, it said.

(With agency inputs)