New Delhi: 

April 9 saw maximum temperatures at Safdarjung observatory hitting 41 degrees Celsius, nearly six degrees Celsius above the seasonal average. Night temperature also climbed well over the 25 degrees Celsius mark to register 25.6 degrees Celsius, the warmest June night in three years. Heatwave conditions engulfed Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. At 46.4 degrees Celsius, the highest so far in the season was recorded in Barmer, Rajasthan.

After a week of scorching heat, the Delhi-NCR region is forecast to have some respite, as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) expects an active western disturbance to bring rain, accompanied by thunderstorms and squalls.

IMD said the Delhi-NCR region will witness light rain or drizzle and thundershowers accompanied by lightning. Strong surface winds with speeds ranging between 30-50 kmph are likely on April 10 and 11. A yellow alert has been sounded, asking the residents to be ready for the unexpected turn of weather.

The sky is likely to be overcast during the day, with isolated showers, which may bring the mercury down by 2-4 degrees Celsius, with maximum temperatures of about 38-40 degrees Celsius anticipated on April 10 and around 36-38 degrees Celsius on April 11. The minimum temperature is expected to be at 18-20 degrees Celsius by April 12.

While the northern plains are reeling under extreme heat, the hills are receiving some unseasonal rains and even snow. Light snow with hailstorms were seen in some parts of Himachal Pradesh, including Chamba, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti. IMD issued a yellow alert on April 10 and 11 in the region, with a forecast of strong winds and lightning in the mid-hills and lower regions.

In Uttar Pradesh, light to moderate rains, influenced by western disturbance, brought the much-needed relief from the summer heat on Thursday in districts including Kanpur, Bahraich and Sant Kabir Nagar. IMD predicts rain for the next 2-3 days in several districts of eastern and western Uttar Pradesh. However, this respite is said to be short-lived. The meteorologists have cautioned about the return of heatwave conditions from April 14 onward, particularly over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and parts of western Uttar Pradesh.

For Bihar and Jharkhand, it was a sorry picture as 13 persons were dead and 12 were injured in lightning. Five people lost their lives in Begusarai, while fatalities were reported from Madhubani, Darbhanga, and Samastipur in Bihar. Nine schoolgirls were struck by lightning during school hours in Jharkhand's Koderma, though all are out of danger.

In a tragedy, the weather ended up being fatal for Bihar and Jharkhand. Lightning strikes, sudden during thunderstorms, claimed 13 lives and left at least 12 others injured. In Begusarai, Bihar, five lives were lost, while fatalities were also reported from Madhubani, Darbhanga, and Samastipur districts. In Jharkhand’s Koderma district, nine schoolgirls were struck by lightning during school hours, though all are now out of danger.

IMD Forecast for Delhi-NCR:

April 10: Max 38–40°C | Min 24–26°C – Generally cloudy with light rain, thunderstorms and winds up to 50 kmph.

April 11: Max 36–38°C | Min 23–25°C – Cloudy with light rain and gusty winds.

April 12: Max 36–38°C | Min 18–20°C – Partly cloudy, no significant change.

April 13: Max 38–40°C | Min 19–21°C – Clear skies.

April 14–15: Max 39–41°C – Clear skies, dry and warm with surface winds.

IMD has warned that heatwave conditions will continue in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra over the next two days before cooling slightly, only to rise again from April 14.

Air Quality Dips with Rise In Dust and Pollutants:

Despite the forecast of rain, Delhi's air quality worsened. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 241 (poor category) at 8 am on April 10, up from 233 the previous day. Gurugram recorded an AQI of 213, while Noida and Greater Noida stood at 167 and 241, respectively. Ghaziabad's AQI also remained poor at 204. As dry winds carry dust particles across the plains, pollution has worsened in parts of NCR. However, rain and winds may bring some improvement in air quality over the weekend.

IMD forecast said heatwaves will persist in parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP and Maharashtra through April 10; thunderstorms and rain are expected over Delhi, Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, Himachal, and J&K until April 11; snowfall has been reported in upper reaches of Himachal and Kashmir and dry spells are likely to return after April 13, with rising temperatures from next week.

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