Monsoon arrives in Kerala; heatwave in North India

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: The South West Monsoon finally arrived in Kerala on Friday bringing widespread rains in most parts of the state. However, severe heatwave conditions continued unabated in large parts of North India with the mercury hovering near 45 degrees Celsius in Delhi.

Generally, the monsoon begins on or around June 1 in Kerala but this year it is late by 6 days. The monsoon will further advance across parts of the northeast in the next 48 hours.

The Met dept is sticking to its forecast for an average monsoon this year despite a slow start, with July and August providing the majority of rainfall.
The Met dept has predicted that Delhi will witness a further intensification of the heatwave with 45 degrees Celsius predicted for the next four days. The previous highest for the season was 43.7 degrees Celsius on May 29.

Many cities in Rajasthan recorded temperatures over 46 degrees Celsius in many cities. The hottest was Bikaner at 47.4, Churu 47.3, Jaisalmer 46.2. Jodhpur recorded 45.5 degrees Celsius but is expected to join the 46 degree Celsius club in the coming days. The relentless heat wave has forced people to stay indoors.

Pink city Jaipur recorded the hottest day in June since 1981, yesterday, with temperature touching 46.3 degree Celsius. The weatherman has predicted similar conditions in the coming days as well.

Jammu also recorded the seasons hottest day at 43.6 degrees Celsius, while Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Patiala and Amritsar recorded highs of 43, 45.4, 44.8 and 43.8 degree Celsius respectively. Haryana’s Hisar, the hottest place in the region, sizzled at 46 degrees.

Even the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh could not escape from the heat with the lower reaches reeled under scorching heat – Una recorded 44.3 degrees Celsius.

Cities in the Gangetic plain have fared no better with no respite from heat in cities like Meerut, Allahabad and Gorakhpur. The condition is worse in Jhansi and Agra where the temperature is over 46 degree Celsius.

Parts of Madhya Pradesh are also experiencing extreme temperatures with the city of lakes, Bhopal, recording a high of 44.4 degrees Celsius. Commercial capital of the state, Indore, fared marginally better at 41.5 degrees.

Chattisgarh’s capital, Raipur, recorded 42.5 degrees Celsius.

The Vidarbha region of Maharshtra is, as every year, under the grip of severe heatwave conditions with Nagpur recording 44.4 degree Celsius, which my touch 45 degrees mark in the coming days.

Four people have succumbed to the heat wave in Gujarat, reports claimed.

Also, the high demand for power has triggered frequent outages across many states.