Respite from heatwave likely after April 12

NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department has forecast that the people of northwest India will get a respite from severe heatwave conditions from April 12 onwards.

According to IMD, a fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect the Western Himalayan Region from the night of April 12, Tuesday.

“Under its influence, maximum temperatures are very likely to fall by 2-3 degree Celsius over many parts of northwest India and consequently, intensity & distribution of the heatwave conditions over the plains of northwest India is very likely to reduce,” the weather monitoring department said.

Notably, the people of Delhi are currently reeling under heatwave conditions with maximum temperature hovering between 40-43.5 degrees Celsius for the past couple of days.

In the past 24 hours, the maximum temperatures were above normal by 6-10 degrees Celsius at most parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana-Delhi and at many parts over west Rajasthan.

Earlier the IMD had also issued an Orange alert for April 10 as the severe heatwave conditions prevailed over the national capital.

Delhi sizzled at 42.4 degrees Celsius on Saturday, which has been the hottest day in five years.

Previously, the national capital had recorded a maximum temperature of 43.2 degrees Celsius on April 21, 2017. The highest maximum temperature for the month was recorded on April 29, 1941, at 45.6 degrees Celsius.

The IMD, in its warning, had said that this is for the first time in 72 years that Delhi has recorded such a high temperature in the first half of April.

On Sunday, the maximum temperature of 41.8 degrees Celsius was recorded at the Safdarjung monitoring station.