As the temperature is settling above 44 degrees...
On Saturday, May 4, 2024, Parts of the country are affected by intense heat with the temperature rising to 43 to 46 degrees Celsius in a number of places.
The government has started raising health warnings.
Intensely hot conditions prevailed in parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said the ongoing heat wave spell in east and south peninsular India will continue till May 7 and even after that.
Maximum temperatures settled in the range of 43-46 degrees Celsius in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Nearly 40-43 degrees in parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Marathwada and North interior Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat," the IMD bulletin issued.
The weather office on Wednesday said above-normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country in May and a significantly high number of heat wave days expected over the northern plains, central region and adjoining areas of India as well.
April witnessed record-breaking maximum temperatures in east, northeast and southern peninsular India.
Health warnings from government agencies have issued and some states to suspend in-person classes in schools.
IMD data shows that heat waves this April were extremely worse than in 2023, the warmest year on record so far.
This condition is likely to continue in May, with almost 8 to 11 heat wave days predicted over south Rajasthan, West Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada and the Gujarat regions.
India witnessed two spells of heat waves in April - from April 5 to 7 and April 15 to 30.
The IMD attributed the long heat wave spell over east, northeast and south peninsular India in April with no thunderstorms.
An anticyclone at lower levels over the west central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining eastern coasts of India will be observed.
This caused the sea breeze to cut off over Odisha and West Bengal on maximum days.
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