Heatwave grips north India, Banda hottest in country at 48 degrees Celsius

New Delhi: North India reeled under an intense heatwave on Wednesday, with Uttar Pradesh's Banda district recording the highest temperature in the country at 48 degrees Celsius, 4.5 notches above normal.

In Delhi, the Ridge base station recorded the maximum temperature at 45.8 degrees, making it the hottest location in the national capital.

The Safdarjung weather station, which acts as the primary base for Delhi's weather, recorded a maximum temperature of 44.5 degrees Celcius.

Ayanagar, Palam and Lodhi Road registered maximum temperatures at 45 degrees, 44.9 degrees and 44.6 degrees Celcius, respectively.

In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Banda district was the hottest place in the country at 48 degrees Celsius amid dry weather conditions. The regional meteorological department issued a severe heatwave alert for several places for the next week.

The weather office issued a yellow warning for the next three days and an orange warning thereafter in view of heatwave to severe heatwave conditions and warm nights.

In Rajasthan, Sriganganagar remained the hottest place, with the mercury soaring to 46.5 degrees Celsius.

Most parts of the state continued to reel under intense heat, the meteorological department said.

Pilani recorded 45.3 degrees Celsius, Phalodi and Bikaner 44.8 degrees, Churu 44.5 degrees, Alwar and Kota 44.2 degrees, Jaisalmer 43.6 degrees, Barmer 43.4 degrees, and Jaipur 42.5 degrees Celsius during the day. According to the meteorological department, most regions of Rajasthan are likely to experience dry weather conditions over the next week, and maximum temperatures are likely to range between 42 and 46 degrees Celsius.

Punjab and Haryana also reeled under severe heatwave, with temperatures touching 47 degrees Celsius.

Haryana’s Rohtak witnessed maximum temperatures reaching 46.9 degrees Celsius, while Punjab’s Bathinda recorded 46.6 degrees Celsius.

At several other places in the two states, maximum temperatures hovered close to 45 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature at Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded the season's highest at 44.4 degrees Celsius compared to Tuesday's 43.2 degrees Celsius.

The day temperature settled over five notches more than normal limits, according to the Met here.

The hill state of Himachal also experienced heatwave conditions, with the maximum temperature reaching 44 degrees in the plains. Whereas in the Queen of Hills, Shimla, mercury touched 30.5 degrees Celsius in the daytime. The local meteorological station issued a yellow warning for heat wave at isolated places in Shimla and Solan districts for May 2.

The MeT station issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms with lightning at isolated places in Chamba, Kangra and Kullu districts from May 21 to 23, and Mandi and Shimla districts on May 22 and 23.

In the neighbouring Uttarakhand, the maximum temperature hovered around 40 degrees Celsius, with Dehradun in the plains recording the highest at 40.6 degrees, while New Tehri in the hills registered 29.9 degrees Celsius.

In the east, West Bengal recorded a humid morning on Wednesday, with the meteorological department forecasting hot weather conditions in the west and heavy rain in the northern parts of the state.

Kolkata recorded a minimum temperature of 28.7 degrees Celsius, two notches higher than normal.

The weather department said that in view of a favourable wind pattern and strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal, thunderstorms are very likely in the districts of north Bengal and some parts of south Bengal.

Mercury levels rose sharply in Telangana, with Ailapur in Jagtial district recording 45.9 degrees Celsius, followed by 45.8 degrees Celsius in Kattangoor (Nalgonda district) and Dasturabad (Nirmal district). Several other places in the state also recorded temperatures well above 40 degrees Celsius.

In its forecast, the India Meteorological Department’s Meteorological Centre here predicted a gradual rise in maximum temperatures by one to two degrees Celsius over the next two days.