Heatwave continues in northwest, central India; monsoon inches forward

Parts of northwest and central India were in the grip of a heatwave on Tuesday with Banda in Uttar Pradesh recording a highest maximum temperature of 46.6 degrees Celsius with no relief in sight at least till Friday.

At least 37 towns and cities across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh reported maximum temperatures above 44 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon has further advanced over some more parts of Tamilnadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, southwest and west central Bay of Bengal.

Monsoon is expected to be in the weak phase for at least another week and is likely to bring good showers once it picks up pace by June 15.

In Delhi, Safdarjung, the base station for the national capital, reported a maximum temperature of 44 degrees celsius, which was three notches above normal.

The weather office said no significant change in maximum temperature is expected over the next two to three days over northwest and central parts of the country and the mercury is likely to slide by two to three degrees thereafter.

"Heat wave conditions in isolated places are very likely over Jammu Division, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana-Delhi and east Madhya Pradesh during June 7-9," the India Meteorological Department said.

Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Madhya Pradesh are expected to experience heatwave conditions on Wednesday.

On the monsoon front, due to westerly winds from Arabian Sea over south peninsular India, fairly widespread rainfall with thunderstorm/lightning is very likely over Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep over the next five days.

The weather office has forecast isolated heavy rainfall very likely over south interior Karnataka on Wednesday, coastal Karnataka and Kerala till Saturday.