IMD Alert: Delhi Boils At 46°C As Heatwave Tightens Grip Across India; Rajasthan, Punjab On Alert | Check Forecast

New Delhi: There is no respite for Delhiites as intense heatwave conditions continued into Friday. Following the warmest May night in almost 14 years on Thursday, forecasters warn the extreme heat will last for at least one more week.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Delhi’s primary weather station, Safdarjung, recorded a minimum temperature of 31.9 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning. Marking a significant 5.2-degree spike above normal, this stands as the city's highest May night temperature since May 26, 2012, when it hit 32.5 degrees Celsius.

Large parts of India continued to reel under severe heatwave conditions on Thursday, with temperatures crossing 45 degrees Celsius in several regions, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue Red and Orange alerts across multiple states while hospitals, civic bodies and local administrations intensified preparations to tackle heat-related illnesses.

What IMD warning states

The grueling heatwave is set to continue as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday extended its warnings across multiple regions until at least May 27. The weather office noted that mostly dry conditions and clear skies will persist over northwest India in the coming days, further intensifying the extreme temperatures.

Large swathes of northern India continue to swelter under an intense heatwave, with temperatures climbing 3 to 6 degrees higher than normal for this time of year.

Heatwave alert for Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab

According to the IMD, a severe heatwave spell will grip multiple states from May 21 to May 27:

Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh & Punjab: Severe heatwaves across many pockets; Punjab will see steady heatwave conditions.

Uttar Pradesh: Severe, isolated heatwaves in the East; continuous heatwave conditions in the West.

Rajasthan: Continuous heatwave in the East; West Rajasthan will escalate to a severe heatwave from May 25–27.

The Hills: Isolated heatwave conditions hit Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on May 21.

Central and eastern India

The IMD has mapped out heatwave warnings across central, eastern, and southern regions:

Severe Heatwaves (May 21–25): Impacting pockets of East Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Yanam. East MP will continue to face heatwave conditions on May 26 and 27.

Bihar & Telangana: Heatwave conditions expected from May 21 to 24.

Odisha: Heatwave conditions forecast from May 21 to 25.

Jharkhand: Heatwave conditions likely on May 22 and 23.

Weather in southern states

According to the IMD, heatwave conditions are expected to impact portions of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal on May 21 and 22.

Warm night conditions continue

The IMD has also warned of exceptionally warm night conditions across several regions. Pockets of Odisha are likely to experience warm nights through May 25, while Uttar Pradesh and Vidarbha will face similar conditions until May 23, and Bihar on May 21. Additionally, residents in Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh should brace for unusually warm nights on May 21 and 22.

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