Heatwave refuses to abate: Rajasthan’s Phalodi burns at 49.8 Degrees, highest in country
New Delhi, May 26: Large parts of Northern India continue to reel under a severe heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 45 degrees Celsius in many regions on Sunday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded a maximum temperature of 49.8 degrees Celsius in Phalodi, Rajasthan, marking it as the highest temperature recorded in the country on May 26.
According to the IMD, Mungeshpur in Delhi recorded a scorching 48.3 degrees Celsius, while Jhansi in Uttarakhand saw temperatures reach 47.7 degrees. In Punjab’s Faridkot, the maximum temperature was recorded at 47.4 degrees.
Other significant temperature recordings included Yeotmal in Interior Maharashtra at 46.6 degrees, Sagar in Madhya Pradesh at 46.2 degrees, and Adilabad in Telangana at 44.8 degrees. Himachal Pradesh’s Una recorded a maximum temperature of 44.4 degrees, VV Nagar in Gujarat reached 43.7 degrees, and Raipur in Chhattisgarh saw temperatures rise to 43.0 degrees.
The IMD reported that heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed over most parts of Rajasthan and some parts of Delhi on Sunday. Heatwave conditions also affected parts of Punjab, Haryana, interior Maharashtra, and West Madhya Pradesh, with isolated pockets in Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh experiencing extreme heat.
The ongoing Lok Sabha elections have coincided with this intense heatwave, adding to the challenges faced by residents and officials. Senior IMD scientist Naresh Kumar indicated that there would be no respite from the heatwave for the next 4-5 days in the Delhi-National Capital Region. “Delhi NCR will face heatwave to severe heatwave today (May 26). At some stations, temperatures may reach 47 degrees… The temperature will remain the same for the next three days. After that, there may be some relief… There is no rain forecast for the next 4-5 days. After that, there may be rain in the Himalayas due to western disturbance and there may be a cloudy atmosphere in Northern India,” Kumar said.
The IMD forecast suggests that severe heatwave conditions will persist in Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and other northern regions for the next few days. In a post on X, IMD stated, “Heatwave to severe heat wave is very likely over many parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh on 27th May 2024 and heat wave is very likely over isolated places over East Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and Gujarat.”