Extreme Heatwave Grips Northern and Central India, Mercury Soars to 50 Degrees Celsius

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 29th May. Large swathes of northern and central India are reeling under extreme heatwave conditions, with temperatures soaring above 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan’s Churu and Haryana’s Sirsa, while settling nine notches above normal in Delhi.

At least three weather stations in Delhi recorded maximum temperatures of 49 degrees Celsius or more, marking the highest temperatures recorded in the capital this season. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts potential relief from the heatwave after May 30, with a fresh western disturbance expected over parts of northwest India on Thursday, bringing isolated rainfall over the weekend.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra attributes the current heatwave conditions to the absence of western disturbances during the latter half of May. Meanwhile, numerical weather prediction models suggest a gradual decrease in temperatures and abatement of heatwave conditions from May 30 onwards.

In a much-needed respite, some districts in south Rajasthan witnessed a drop in temperatures on Tuesday due to moist wind incursion from the Arabian Sea. However, heatwave conditions persist in several states, with Churu in Rajasthan recording the highest temperature in the country at 50.5 degrees Celsius.

The scorching heat prompted the Haryana government to advance summer vacations in all state-run and private schools to Tuesday. The intense heatwave is straining power grids and exacerbating water shortages in many states, impacting hydropower generation and other sectors of the economy.

With power demand reaching record highs, experts anticipate further increases in the coming days. Severe heatwaves have adversely affected millions of people in India for three consecutive years, posing significant challenges to health, water availability, agriculture, and power generation.