No relief from heat: Intense heatwave to dominate daytime India on Tuesday
While heat continues to sweep India, relief is in the fact that the monsoon season has arrived earlier than its typical schedule and will soon reach northern regions.
India's erratic summer season is expected to continue its strong run on Tuesday, May 19, with various parts of the country forecast to face extreme heat conditions, while some will experience much-needed relief in the form of rain and showers.
WHAT HAPPENED ON MAY 18?
Monday was a tale of two Indias.
The south and northeast saw heavy rainfall, with parts of Kerala, Karnataka, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and the northeast receiving widespread showers.
In Kerala's Kozhikode district alone, 10 cm of rain was recorded in a single day. Meanwhile, the north and centre of the country sweltered under intense heat.
The highest temperature recorded anywhere in India today was a scorching 46.4°C at Banda in Uttar Pradesh, which was well above what a human body can safely handle outdoors.
Heat wave conditions were also reported across Vidarbha in Maharashtra and parts of Madhya Pradesh, where temperatures ran more than 5°C above normal.
Delhi too faced heatwave-like conditions as temperatures touched 45°C, with hotter conditions predicted ahead.
HOW WILL THE WEATHER BE ON TUESDAY?
Tuesday will largely continue today's pattern.
Kerala, Lakshadweep, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands will see heavy rainfall, with gusty winds reaching 40–60 kmph along the coasts.
The northeast, particularly Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura, will also receive heavy showers.
Meanwhile, Bihar and Gangetic West Bengal should brace for strong thundersqualls with winds gusting up to 60 kmph.
In sharp contrast, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh will continue facing heat wave to severe heat wave conditions, with temperatures remaining dangerously high.
But help is on the way.
MONSOON IS COMING
India's southwest monsoon, the seasonal rain system that the entire country depends on for its water needs and agriculture, is already on the move.
As of today, May 18, it has pushed into large parts of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Interestingly, the monsoon system has arrived earlier than its typical schedule.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has noted that the monsoon is expected to reach Kerala, the traditional first stop on the Indian mainland, around May 26, give or take four days.
For context, the monsoon's usual Kerala arrival date is June 1, making this year's progress notably ahead of the curve.
For now, the season's erratic run continues.