Heatwave set to return to northwest, central India from May 7 onwards, says IMD

New Delhi, May 06: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said a fresh spell of Heatwave conditions is likely to commence over Northwest India from May 7 and over central India from May 8.

In its latest bulletin, the weather department informed that heatwave conditions are expected over Maharashtra on Thursday (May 5), and over Rajasthan between May 7 and 9.

In South Haryana, South-West Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha (in Maharashtra), and Delhi, the heatwave will continue on May 8 and 9.

The heatwave could also return in Rajasthan from May 7 to May 9, and in south Haryana, Delhi southwest Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra's Vidarbha region on May 8 and 9, the weather forecasting agency said.

The IMD bulletin said that thunderstorms and lightning are very likely to occur over Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Rajasthan later on Thursday.

"However, a fresh heatwave spell is likely to commence in Rajasthan. Isolated heatwave conditions are expected to start in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Vidarbha especially. For Rajasthan, it will be for today and tomorrow (May 5 and May 6), and on May 7, it (heatwave) will spread into some other parts of northwest India and central India," IMD Director General, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was quoted as saying by ANI.

The absence of rainfall and thunderstorms had caused high daytime temperatures in north India, Mohapatra had said on April 29.

The forecast comes a day after several areas of north and central India, including Delhi, received hailstorms. Strong winds gusting up to 50 kmph lashed the national capital, forcing at least three flights to be diverted towards Jaipur in Rajasthan. Several other flights were delayed due to rain, wind and thunderstorm.