Nagpur: Intense heatwave returns, mercury soars to 43 degrees

Following a brief respite from the sweltering heat, courtesy of cloudy conditions, the sun's rays once again intensified on Tuesday. Despite the cloud cover, the sun's heat remained remarkably intense. Within a span of 24 hours, the mercury swiftly climbed back up to the scorching 43-degree mark. The meteorological department forecasts that this heatwave is set to persist for the next three to four days.

Over the past few days, the Vidarbha region has witnessed a playful display of clouds, accompanied by a pre-monsoon drizzle. However, the sun has once again taken centre stage within a span of two days. With the exception of Akola and Amravati, there has been a partial increase in temperature across other districts. Nagpur experienced a rise of 1.4 degrees Celsius in the last 24 hours. Brahmapuri recorded the highest maximum temperature at 43.8 degrees Celsius, closely followed by Chandrapur at 43.6 degrees Celsius. Gondia and Wardha reported a mercury reading of 43 degrees Celsius, similar to Nagpur. Moreover, the night temperature, which had been below average until now, has also risen.

Meanwhile, the monsoon might be late this year because of changing weather patterns. Over the next two days, there's a chance of a strong cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea. The monsoon was supposed to reach Kerala by June 4, but due to the current situation, its arrival has been delayed in the Andaman Islands. As a result, it's expected to come later than usual in both Kerala and Vidarbha. However, this delay is unlikely to have an impact on the total rainfall we receive.