India Meteorological Department (IMD) has confirmed this morning that heat wave to severe heat wave conditions to the west and north of the country may abate after a fresh western disturbance arrives by Friday.
The incoming western disturbance has reached Pakistan, and a favourable change in wind direction could bring down the mercury levels. Day temperatures may not change until Friday but may fall by 2-3°C thereafter, the IMD said.
Maximum day temperatures over North-West India may also fall by about 2°C during the next 2-3 days. An extended outlook valid for March 22-24 said parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and North-East India may get isolated rain.
Heat wave conditions
As for Thursday, heat wave to severe heat wave conditions may prevail over parts of West Rajasthan while it would be heat wave conditions over East Rajasthan, the Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, West Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Interior Odisha and Telangana, the traditional West-East corridor for abnormal heat, traditionally during summer.
Thursday’s low-pressure area over South Bay of Bengal is now located over South-East Bay and East Equatorial Indian Ocean. It may continue to move away from Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, and become ‘well-marked’ by Saturday.
The well-marked ‘low’ could intensify into a depression by Sunday morning and further into a cyclone by Monday. The IMD expects the cyclone to move nearly North later and head towards Bangladesh and North Myanmar coast by Tuesday.
Cyclone watch in Bay of Bengal
The Myanmar Department of Meteorology and Hydrology has said that the likely cyclone may reach near the Bangladesh and the Rakhine coast of Myanmar by Wednesday as the second ‘low’ in the Bay this season undergoes gradual intensification.
The IMD has forecast squally weather (wind speeds of 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph) over the South-East Bay and the adjoining South Andaman Sea for Thursday. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas.
Squally weather warning
On Friday, heat wave conditions may prevail over parts of West Rajasthan, Interior Odisha and Telangana. Thunderstorms accompanied with lightning may lash parts of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands as the ‘low’ looks to intensify. Squally weather may prevail over the South-East Bay and the adjoining South Andaman Sea for a second day. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas, the IMD said.