Weather update: IMD issues heat wave red alert for Uttar Pradesh today; Delhi to get respite from THIS day

Weather update: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for a severe heatwave in Uttar Pradesh today. At the same time, a red alert for heavy rainfall is in place for the northeastern states of West Bengal and Sikkim, while an orange alert has been issued for Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

A peek into heatwave conditions forecast across northern India and progress of Southwest monsoon in southern and northeast India:

Heatwaves

• The weather department hinted that heatwaves would continue in Uttar Pradesh until June 23.

From today, heat waves are expected to subside in Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Haryana and Delhi will continue to experience heat waves with increased intensity on June 23.

• Warm night conditions have been predicted for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh on June 20.
• Odisha and Bihar can expect hot and humid weather today and tomorrow.

Monsoon

The weather department in its press release dated June 19 states, “Widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds (30-40 kmph) likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam & Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura and sub-Himalayan West Bengal during next 5 days.”

Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during next five days."

The weather agency forecasts heavy rainfall in Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra until June 23.

Some regions in Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will also get moderate rainfall till June 23.

“We had issued a red alert for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar yesterday, but today conditions have improved,” IMD scientist Dr Naresh Kumar said on the heat wave situation.

Kumar said the monsoon is likely to make a foray into Delhi-NCR around June 30, adding there has been some rainfall activity in Bihar. According to Kumar, an orange alert is in place for heatwaves in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi NCR until June 21, ANI reported.

As per IMD's latest weather update, light showers will grace the capital city in the next two hours.