IMD warns of an intensifying heatwave in northwest India, especially West Rajasthan. Hot and humid weather is expected in coastal areas like Odisha and Tamil Nadu, while isolated warm night conditions are forecast for parts of central India.
IMD Forecasts Intense Heatwave and Humid Conditions
Heatwave conditions are set to intensify in parts of northwest India, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of rising temperatures in West Rajasthan in the coming days, alongside hot and humid weather across several coastal regions and isolated warm night conditions in central India.
According to the IMD, heatwave conditions are very likely to prevail in isolated parts of Vidarbha on April 29, followed by a more prolonged spell over West Rajasthan from May 1 to May 3.
In addition, hot and humid weather is expected to affect parts of eastern and southern India. Isolated pockets of Odisha are likely to experience such conditions between April 29 and May 1. Similar weather is forecast over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, and Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam from April 29 to May 3, while Coastal Karnataka may see these conditions on April 29 and 30.
The IMD has also indicated the likelihood of warm night conditions in isolated areas of East Madhya Pradesh on April 29, which can increase discomfort levels and pose health risks, especially for vulnerable populations.
Complex Atmospheric Systems Driving Weather Patterns
India is currently witnessing a complex interplay of atmospheric systems, even as heatwave conditions intensify across large parts of the country. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a Western Disturbance persists as a cyclonic circulation over north Pakistan and adjoining Kashmir, extending between 3.1 and 5.8 km above mean sea level and tilting northwestwards with height.
A trough aloft in the middle and upper tropospheric westerlies is also present, with its axis roughly along longitude 75°E to the north of latitude 30°N.
Additionally, an induced upper air cyclonic circulation continues over Punjab and adjoining areas at around 1.5 km above mean sea level.
Further south, an upper air cyclonic circulation over southeast Uttar Pradesh and nearby regions remains active at about 0.9 km above mean sea level, while a similar system over southwest Rajasthan has weakened.
Supporting these features are persistent troughs: a north-south trough stretching from north Punjab to southwest Rajasthan at 1.5 km altitude, and an east-west trough extending from southeast Uttar Pradesh to Nagaland, passing through Bihar, Jharkhand, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Assam at lower levels of the atmosphere.
A fresh Western Disturbance is also expected to impact the Western Himalayan Region from May 2, 2026, which could bring changes in weather patterns over northern India. (ANI)
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