Weather update: Heatwave conditions expected to abate; check IMD’s full prediction here

Expect some respite from the severe heat as maximum temperatures across northwest and east India are likely to plummet by 2-4 degrees Celsius over the next few days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said.

Heatwave are expected to subside over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, south Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana from Monday onwards. Partly cloudy sky with isolated thunderstorms will offer some relief from the heat.

"Barring some parts of west Rajasthan and the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, no place in the country is likely to see a heatwave in the next five days," senior IMD scientist R K Jenamani said.

The maximum temperature in the national capital on Sunday was at 40.5 degrees Celsius, two notches more than the season's average, while the minimum temperature settled at 25.8 degrees Celsius.

For Monday, the weather agency has predicted partly cloudy skies in Delhi with the possibility of a dust storm and thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds with a speed upto 40-50 kmph.

As maintained by the IMD bulletin on Sunday, heatwave conditions are expected to continue over Delhi and nearby areas for the next three days. Dust storms or thunderstorms are expected at isolated places over Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi between May 2 and May 4.

In northwest India, a western disturbance on Sunday provided much-needed respite from the heat. South Haryana and east Rajasthan received some rainfall in the afternoon, leading to a dip in the mercury.

However, parts of west Rajasthan continued to reel under a scorching heatwave, with Bikaner logging a maximum temperature of 47.1 degrees Celsius, the highest in India.

Over east India, under the influence of south-westerly winds from the Bay of Bengal over east and northeast India in the lower tropospheric level, fairly widespread rain is likely over northeast India and sub Himalayan West Bengal-Sikkim during the next five days, the IMD said. Thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph) are also predicted.

On Sunday, south Bengal experienced thunderstorms, with Kolkata and adjoining suburbs reporting moderate rainfall with gusty winds in the evening. While commuters had to deal with traffic jams, they welcomed the relief from the heat.

Overcast skies and a light breeze brought much-needed respite to the people of Odisha. The maximum temperature fell by around 2-4 degrees in a few places and was below normal in many towns, according to the Met.

In the midst of the hotter-than-average temperatures, people in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and many other states had to sweat it out during long power cuts.

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