Heatwave to persist in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi; Heavy rainfall likely in South India over next two days: IMD

From the dry plains of Rajasthan to the bustling streets of Delhi and the sunbaked Saurashtra-Kutch region of Gujarat, citizens are already feeling the heat -- and it's only going to intensify over the next week, according to the weather department officials.

Speaking to ANI, IMD Scientist Akhil Srivastava said that Rajasthan will also experience a severe heatwave over the next 4-5 days.

"Heatwaves are being reported in Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch region, which are expected to continue for the next 5-7 days. Rajasthan will also face severe heatwave conditions over the next 4-5 days, for which an alert has been issued," he said.

Srivastava also mentioned that states in North India, such as Punjab and Haryana, may experience heatwave conditions.

"Delhi is currently witnessing temperatures 3 degrees above normal, hovering around 38 to 40 degrees Celsius. There is a possibility of heatwave-like conditions by April 7. A western disturbance is expected to affect the Western Himalayan region between April 8 and 10, possibly leading to thunderstorms, strong winds and rainfall," he added.

Speaking on South India, the IMD scientist said that Tamil Nadu and Kerala are expected to receive heavy rainfall over the next two days.

"Heavy isolated rainfall is expected in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and south interior Karnataka over the next two days. From April 7 or 8, eastern parts of India may experience thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds," he said.

Earlier in the day, several parts of Chennai received rainfall. The IMD's regional centre in Chennai issued warnings for rain, light thunderstorms, and lightning in a few districts of Tamil Nadu.

Heavy rainfall in Tiruppur district on Friday night caused waterlogging in homes. Municipal corporation workers were deployed to drain the excess water.

According to IMD data, Tiruppur North witnessed 11 centimetres of rainfall, while the Kozhiporvilai station in Kanyakumari recorded 19 cm. Nambiyur in Erode district, Coimbatore AP, and Sulur stations in Coimbatore district recorded 8 cm each.

Kavundapadi in Erode, Kil Kotagiri Estate in Nilgiris, and Sothuparai in Theni received 9 cm of rainfall each.

Similarly, the Ramanathapuram district received 7 cm of rainfall, followed by Kadaladi, which recorded 5 cm; Mudukulatur and Mandapam received 2 cm each; and Tondi and Pamban with 1 cm of rainfall each.

Meanwhile, the IMD has ruled out the presence of El Nino conditions for the upcoming monsoon but has warned of an exceptionally hot summer ahead. The latest forecast indicates above-normal temperatures and an increased number of heatwave days across several parts of the country from April to June 2025.

"We are not expecting El Nino conditions during the monsoon season. April- June to be hotter than usual, with more heatwave days likely in many states," said IMD Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

The forecast predicts above-normal maximum temperatures in most parts of India, except in some areas of west peninsular India, east-central India, and eastern India, where temperatures are likely to remain normal. Minimum temperatures are also expected to remain above normal across most regions.

States likely to experience more heatwave days from April to June include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and northern Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.