Delhi-NCR weather: IMD issues severe heatwave alert for North, Northwest India, temperature may rise to...

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a heatwave from May 16 to May 18 across several northern and northwestern states, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. According to the IMD forecast, temperatures are expected to rise in Delhi and the surrounding states. Many regions in northern India will see a gradual increase in temperature until May 18, with temperatures potentially reaching up to 45 degrees Celsius by the weekend.

The rise in temperature is attributed to dry westerly and northwesterly winds, along with clear skies that will result in direct sunlight in the northern states starting Thursday. An IMD official stated, "The temperature in Delhi has been increasing over the past few days and is expected to continue rising until the weekend as there is no western disturbance. The temperature is expected to reach 44 degrees on Friday and 45 degrees on Saturday."

Heatwave conditions will affect western Rajasthan from May 15 to May 18, while western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and southern Haryana will experience heatwave conditions from today until Saturday. A heatwave warning has also been issued for northwestern Madhya Pradesh and Bihar between Friday and Saturday. 

The southwest monsoon will reach Kerala by May 31, bringing moderate to heavy rainfall to parts of the state, IMD predicted. An IMD release stated, "The southwest monsoon usually arrives in Kerala by June 1, with a standard deviation of about seven days. This year, the southwest monsoon is likely to establish itself in Kerala on May 31."