Heat Wave-Like Conditions for Bengal and Other States; IMD Issues Red Alert
Maharashtra: Scorching summer causes rise in heatstroke cases, 240 reported since March
While much of the subcontinent is sweltering under heatwave, here are some weather updates from the India Meteorological Department.
2nd May 2024
By Khushi Maheshwari
On Thursday, 2nd May, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of heatwave conditions over a number of states, including Gangetic West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Kerala. For West Bengal and the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh, the IMD has issued a “red” notice; nevertheless, Bihar, Telangana, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Odisha have received an “orange” alert.
“Severe heatwave conditions are likely to occur in numerous areas of Gangetic West Bengal, a few areas of Jharkhand and Odisha, isolated pockets of Rayalaseema and sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Gujarat region, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, Mahe and interior Karnataka on 2nd May,” the IMD stated in its bulletin.
The meteorological department reports that although Jharkhand will experience heatwave to severe heatwave conditions on Thursday, the severity will decrease starting on Friday. Temperatures that go beyond 40 degrees celsius and 4.5 degrees celsius above average qualify as coming under heat wave condition whereas a severe heatwave is when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees celsius and is 6.5 degrees celsius more than the average temperature.
Additionally, it mentioned that lower tropospheric levels above northeast Assam are characterised by a cyclonic circulation. At lower tropospheric levels, there are strong southwesterly winds prevailing from the Bay of Bengal to northeast India. Under their influence, throughout the next five days, there is a very good chance of light to moderate rainfall, scattered thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (40–50 kmph) over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
There is a possibility of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall on 2nd, 5th and 6th May, over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, as well as isolated heavy rainfall over Sikkim on 5th May.
Therefore, a total of 8 states — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura will experience moderate to severe rainfall over the coming week. At the same time, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry and Karnataka will experience a heatwave atmosphere until 6th May.
