Max temp to rise by 2 degrees C during next three days over NW India: IMD

New Delhi: If you thought Wednesday was cruelly hot, wait! Maximum temperatures are set to rise by about 2 degrees Celsius very likely over most parts of northwest India during next three days

India Meteorological Department (IMD) said: "Heat wave conditions would continue over Vidarbha, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh during next five days, over Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, interior Gangetic West Bengal and interior Odisha till April 30, over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi till May 1, Bihar till April 29, over Chhattisgarh during April 28-30, and northern parts of Gujarat on April 28."

On Wednesday, heat wave conditions prevailed in some parts of Gangetic West Bengal and in isolated pockets over Bihar, western Rajasthan, Odisha, Vidarbha and Saurashtra Kutch.

Across these states, maximum temperatures ranged between 43 degrees Celsius and 45.6 degrees Celsius (at Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh, followed by 45.5 degrees Celsius at Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh), IMD data showed.

Under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance, light/moderate isolated rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm/lightning/gusty winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph) are very likely over Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, and Himachal Pradesh during April 28 and May 1 and over Uttarakhand during April 29 and May 1. Isolated hailstorms are also likely over Jammu-Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on April 29 and over Uttarakhand on April 30 and May 1.

Very light isolated rainfall with dust storms/thunderstorms is likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh on April 29 and over Rajasthan on both April 29 and 30.

Meanwhile, under the influence of another fresh Western Disturbance likely to affect northwest India from May 2, light/moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm/lightning likely over Western Himalayan Region during May 2-4.