2 min readMay 22, 2026 08:12 PM IST
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday warned that heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist across large parts of northwest, central and east India over the next six to seven days, even as heavy rainfall is forecast for parts of southern and northeastern states.
According to the IMD, severe heatwave conditions are expected over eastern Uttar Pradesh, eastern Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Vidarbha, and parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi over the coming week. Heatwave conditions are also likely over Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telangana, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
The weather office said Banda in Uttar Pradesh recorded the country’s highest maximum temperature at 47.6 degrees Celsius on Thursday. Temperatures across several regions in northwest, central and peninsular India remained in the 40-47°C range.
Heatwave in Delhi till May 25
Delhi is expected to remain under heatwave conditions till at least May 25, with maximum temperatures likely to hover between 44°C and 46°C. Strong surface winds gusting up to 45 kmph are also forecast.
The IMD issued red and orange alerts for multiple states, warning of a “very high likelihood” of heat illness and heatstroke, particularly among vulnerable groups including the elderly, children and people with chronic illnesses.
Heavy rainfall forecast in northeastern states
At the same time, the department forecast widespread rainfall over Kerala, Lakshadweep, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the northeastern states. Heavy to very heavy rainfall was already recorded in Kerala and Assam over the past 24 hours, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall reported in Kerala.
The IMD said isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Kerala and Mahe till May 28, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep till May 26, and Assam and Meghalaya till May 28. Very heavy rainfall is also expected in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.
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The southwest monsoon, meanwhile, is expected to advance further into parts of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal over the next two to three days, the IMD added.
