Heatwave alert in Delhi, Punjab, UP today; rains predicted from April 26 — What did IMD forecast for Mumbai, Bengaluru

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for a heatwave in Delhi on Saturday, 25 April. “Heat wave conditions are expected to persist in isolated parts on Saturday,” an IMD official told PTI. “Sustained surface winds of speeds of 15-25 kilometres per hour, gusting to 35 kilometres per hour, might be observed during the day.”

The weather agency has also forecast heatwave conditions over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh for today. A heatwave is expected to continue over Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh over the next two days.

However, the IMD said, a rain spell is expected to bring the mercury down from Sunday, 26 April.

“Very light rain might be observed from Monday due to the formation of a cyclonic circulation,” Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of private weather forecasting company Skymet, told PTI.

The Met Department has forecast the maximum temperature in Delhi to hover around 42-44 degrees Celsius on Saturday, saying that it will gradually decrease in the coming days due to rain.

In its latest bulletin, the weather agency predicted isolated light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of speed reaching 30-40 kmph likely over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh during April 26 to 30 April.

Uttar Pradesh is expected to get rain from 28 April to 30 April, and Rajasthan from 27 April to 29 April.

The IMD has also predicted isolated light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds with speeds reaching 40-50 kmph over Chhattisgarh from 26 April to 28 April; Vidarbha on 28 April and Madhya Pradesh on 27 April and 28 April.

The weather department said the maximum and minimum temperatures over Mumbai are likely to be around 35 degrees Celsius and 24 degrees Celsius.

However, according to the IMD forecast, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathawada are likely to experience isolated light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds of speed reaching 30-50 kmph today.

A maximum temperature of approximately 37°C, which is about 2–3°C higher than the seasonal average, is expected. The minimum temperature is slated to settle around 23°C.

While a yellow alert for thunderstorms and gusty winds has been issued for 21 other districts across Karnataka, including parts of North and South Interior Karnataka, Bengaluru is expected to remain firmly within a dry spell on Saturday.

However, the weather agency has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning from Tuesday, 28 April, onwards, bringing a much-needed relief from the intense summer heat in the city.

According to the IMD, light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers with gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph are likely at isolated places across Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts during the afternoon or evening from Tuesday to Thursday.