The IMD predicts ongoing severe heatwave conditions across many parts of North India for today and tomorrow, but relief is expected soon with a lessening intensity due to an approaching western disturbance towards Northwest India. Conversely, areas like Assam, Meghalaya, and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal are poised for continued heavy rainfall over the next couple of days.

The highest maximum temperature, reaching 47.6°C, was recorded at Prayagraj in East Uttar Pradesh, according to the IMD. It also noted warm night to severe warm night conditions in some areas of Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, with isolated instances in Uttar Pradesh, as well as warm night conditions observed in isolated parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, and West Madhya Pradesh.

“Isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds (30-40 kmph) very likely over Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha during next 2 days and likely to increase thereafter. Isolated heavy rainfall very likely over Odisha on 20th & 21st June, 2024,” the IMD states.

Uttar Pradesh (UP) is bracing for an intense heatwave from June 18 to June 19, while Bihar and select areas of Himachal Pradesh will also experience hot weather today, with a subsequent decrease in intensity. Similar weather patterns are anticipated in north Coastal Andhra Pradesh, parts of Jammu & Kashmir, and north Madhya Pradesh on June 18.

“Heatwave to severe heat wave conditions observed in most parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab & Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi; in many parts of south Bihar, south Uttarakhand. Heatwave conditions in some parts of Jammu-Kashmir, north Madhya Pradesh; in isolated pockets of Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, north Rajasthan & Vidarbha,” the weather report adds.

The IMD's release highlights a cyclonic circulation over northeast Assam in the lower tropospheric levels, likely leading to isolated heavy rainfall over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Assam, and Meghalaya from June 18 to June 19. Arunachal Pradesh will see this on June 19, with exceptionally heavy rainfall expected in Meghalaya today.

Additionally, the Southwest Monsoon is progressing into parts of Odisha, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Northwest Bay of Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, and remaining parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal over the next three days, as per the IMD's weather report.

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