Overview
- IMD bulletins on Thursday said heatwave alerts cover large swathes of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh with many places already between 40°C and 45°C.
- Delhi is under a yellow alert with highs of 42–44°C and unusually warm nights, and schools have added measures such as frequent ‘water bell’ breaks, shorter outdoor assemblies and limits on open‑air classes.
- Temperatures are forecast to climb steadily through Sunday by 2–5°C in the northwest and 2–4°C in central India before a slight dip next week as a western disturbance brings rain to the western Himalaya around April 25–26.
- The heat contrasts with the Northeast, where the IMD expects widespread rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds, including thundersqualls that could touch 70 km/h and isolated hail in pockets.
- Observed peaks this week included 44.6°C at Jharsuguda in Odisha, 44.4°C at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh and 44.2°C at Banda, and the IMD expects more heatwave days this season, which strains health, farm work and power demand.