Marginal weeklong respite, then heat burst again

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 1

Some relief from the scorching heat is on the way, but meteorologists say any reprieve by way of rain will be “short-lived”. The ominous warning is that the “worst is yet to come”.

  The India Meteorological Department (IMD) foresees no significant change in the maximum temperatures during the next 24 hours. However, from Sunday onwards, the northwest, west and adjoining central India are expected to see temperatures fall by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius.  

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Plains in the northwest will see western disturbance-driven rain and thundershowers, bringing down the mercury in northern and central India. The relatively cooler weather is likely to last till the next weekend.  

On April 4, thundershowers are “very likely at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh”. The next day, thunderstorms can be expected in Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi. Between April 6 and 8, “rain or snow is very likely over the western Himalayan region”.

Temperatures have been appreciably above normal — 5 degrees C or more — at most places in J&K, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi (40 degrees Celsius on Saturday) owing to an uninterrupted flow of hot and dry north-westerly winds from Pakistan via Rajasthan.

Normally, the day temperatures in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and western UP at this time of the year range between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius, says private forecaster Skymet. However, this season, even the lower parts have recorded higher day temperatures.  

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The temperatures have been below normal only in the North-Eastern states. While the northwest region can expect respite for a week, the maximum temperatures will remain high across the country — over 40° C. 

The worst is yet to come.