A vast portion of India, from Ladakh to Jharkhand and much of northwest India, is experiencing an intense heat wave, with maximum temperatures reaching 47.6 degrees Celsius in Prayagraj and 26.2 degrees Celsius in Nubra, located in the high Himalayas. The weather office reported that maximum temperatures were significantly above normal (by 5.1 degrees Celsius or more) in most areas of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Bihar.
In the national capital, maximum temperatures exceeded 45 degrees Celsius, seven degrees higher than normal for the season, due to the absence of thunderstorms and rainfall usually caused by western disturbances. Dehradun in Uttarakhand recorded a maximum temperature of 43.1 degrees Celsius, 9.5 degrees above normal, while Una in Himachal Pradesh reached 44 degrees Celsius, 6.7 degrees above average.
In Jammu and Kashmir, Katra recorded a maximum temperature of 40.8 degrees Celsius, 5.7 degrees above normal, while Jammu reached 44.3 degrees Celsius. Daltonganj in Jharkhand recorded a high of 46 degrees Celsius, 9.1 degrees above normal. Most regions in Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Rajasthan, west Uttar Pradesh, and east Madhya Pradesh experienced warm nights, with minimum temperatures exceeding the normal by 5.1 degrees or more.
The weather office has forecast no change in maximum temperatures over northwest India during the next 24 hours. The temperatures are expected to fall by 2 degrees Celsius thereafter. However, central and eastern India will continue to reel from high temperatures for the next three days and expect some respite thereafter.
According to the local Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, experienced a maximum temperature of 44.5 degrees Celsius. Faridkot in Punjab also faced severe heat, reaching 46 degrees Celsius, while Pathankot recorded a high of 45.8 degrees Celsius. In other parts of Punjab, Amritsar recorded 45.8 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana 44.6 degrees Celsius, Patiala 45.4 degrees Celsius, Gurdaspur 45 degrees Celsius, and Ferozepur 44.3 degrees Celsius.