Heatwave menace to continue on Wednesday, IMD hints at rain relief from May 29
The IMD has warned that severe heatwave conditions will persist across parts of north and central India on Wednesday, while storms and heavy rain affect eastern, southern and northeastern regions.
Large parts of India are likely to continue witnessing extreme and volatile weather conditions on May 27, 2026, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of severe heatwave conditions in some regions and thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and gusty winds in others.
According to the IMD, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are expected to persist across parts of central and northwest India for the next couple of days, although gradual relief is likely to begin setting in from May 29 onwards as weather systems become more active.
For May 27 specifically, Vidarbha and eastern Madhya Pradesh remain under the highest heat alert, with red warnings issued for severe heatwave conditions. Orange alerts have also been sounded for Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, western Rajasthan and western Madhya Pradesh, where temperatures are expected to remain dangerously high.
Cities across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha are likely to experience extremely hot afternoons along with warm nights, offering little overnight relief from the heat.
However, meteorologists say a fresh western disturbance approaching northwest India from May 28 could gradually reduce temperatures by 6 to 8 degrees Celsius in some regions over the following days.
At the same time, eastern and southern India are expected to witness intense thunderstorm activity. Odisha, Jharkhand and parts of West Bengal could see thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and squally winds reaching speeds of 70 to 80 kmph. Bihar and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal may also receive heavy rainfall.
The western Himalayan states, including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, are also likely to witness thunderstorms, lightning and isolated hailstorm activity under the influence of the incoming western disturbance.
In southern India, widespread thunderstorm activity is forecast to continue over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Coastal and interior regions could experience gusty winds, lightning and short but intense spells of rainfall through the day.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall warnings remain in place for parts of the Northeast, especially Assam and Meghalaya, where isolated areas could continue receiving heavy to very heavy rain.
The IMD also said conditions remain favourable for the further advance of the southwest monsoon into more parts of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea during the next two to three days.
Overall, May 27 is expected to bring a sharp weather divide across India, blistering heat in the north and centre, while storms, strong winds and heavy rain dominate eastern, northeastern and southern regions.