Severe Heat Wave Likely Over Gujarat And Rajasthan, Mercury To Exceed 45 Degrees

There have been scattered pre-monsoon rains along the Indo-Gangetic plains, covering Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and parts of East Madhya Pradesh. Rainfall is likely over the plains of North India, covering Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh between 10th and 12th April. Heat wave conditions will abate in these parts, albeit temporarily. These are expected to make a comeback next week again. However, the heat stress is unrelenting over most parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Slight breather for the next two days, and severe heat wave is expected over these regions, more fiercely around mid-week next.

Border areas of Rajasthan, interiors of Saurashtra and deep inland parts of Central and North Gujarat recorded the highest temperatures of this season, so far. Ahmedabad-43.2°C, Gandhinagar-43°C, Surendranagar-44.8°C, Amreli-44.3°C, Deesa-43.6°C, Rajkot-45.2°C scorched under extreme heat wave conditions. Kandla recorded the highest temperature in the country at 45.6°C yesterday.  In the border belt of Rajasthan, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Phalodi, Bikaner, and Ganganagar recorded soaring temperatures in excess of 43°C. Even deep inland stations like Pilani, Churu, Alwar, and Jaipur registered similar temperatures, amounting to severe heat wave conditions in some pockets.  The light sprinkle last evening over Pilani, Churu, Sikar, and Bikaner will not mitigate the heat factor substantially. Yes, the mercury level may remain checked for the next two days, but only to rise again over the weekend and the entire next week.

Weather activity over the plains of North India over the next 3 days may lighten the heat stress by a couple of degrees over parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Following broad clearance, from Sunday onwards, the mercury will slip into the excruciating range of mid-40s across wider parts of these two states. The heat buildup across the border over the Central and Sind-Pakistan region will transport a blistering mass of air over West Rajasthan, Saurashtra and the interiors of Gujarat. A severe heat wave is likely to sweep over a fairly long stretch and for an extended duration in the third week of April.