Heatwave to grip Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh till June 10; thunderstorms likely from June 11

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the onset of a heatwave across parts of Punjab and Haryana beginning Monday, with conditions expected to intensify and spread across the region over the next three days.

According to the weather department, heatwave conditions are likely to prevail on June 8 in seven districts of western and southern Haryana — Sirsa, Hisar, Fatehabad, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Mahendragarh and Rewari. In Punjab, southern districts including Fazilka, Mansa, Bathinda and Muktsar are expected to experience heatwave conditions.

On June 9, the heatwave is forecast to expand to 14 districts of Haryana: Sirsa, Hisar, Fatehabad, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Mahendragarh, Rewari, Rohtak, Jind, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Nuh and Palwal. In Punjab, heatwave conditions are likely in Muktsar, Mansa, Bathinda, Fazilka, Moga, Sangrur, Ferozepur, Barnala and Faridkot.

By June 10, the heatwave is expected to engulf the entire states of Punjab and Haryana, along with Chandigarh.

Relief, however, is likely from June 11 due to the influence of a western disturbance. Thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 50-60 kmph are forecast in Haryana's Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar districts. Chandigarh, Panchkula, Ambala, Karnal and Kaithal are likely to witness thunderstorms with wind speeds of 40-50 kmph.

In Punjab, thunderstorm activity with gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph is expected in Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, SAS Nagar, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib on June 11.

The IMD has further predicted widespread thunderstorm activity across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on June 12.