Delhi to remain pleasant today, but the relief is short-lived. Here's why
India faces a weather divide today with heatwave warnings for Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Delhi prepares for a temperature spike reaching 39 degrees Celsius by April 14.
There will be clear blue skies over the National Capital Region following the exit of the mild weather system on April 11. (Photo: PTI)
As the Sun climbed over the Indian subcontinent on Saturday, April 11, a quiet but significant shift began in the atmosphere.
The gentle breeze that had lingered over the northern plains is now making a silent exit, paving the way for the first true surge of summer heat.
According to the latest bulletin from the India Meteorological Department, the country is currently split between a fading spring and an intensifying pre-monsoon fire.
HOW WILL THE NORTHWEST HEAT UP TODAY?
The mild Western Disturbance is currently drifting over north Pakistan and Jammu.
This is a weather system that originates in the Mediterranean region and brings moisture to India, typically resulting in winter and spring rain.
As it moves away, it leaves behind a vacuum of clear skies. This allows for a process called subsidence, where sinking air warms up rapidly as it reaches the ground.
In Delhi and the surrounding plains, tonight will remain pleasant with temperatures near 18 degrees Celsius, but the relief is short-lived.
From tomorrow, maximum temperatures will begin a steady climb, rising by six to eight degrees Celsius from today through April 17.
WHERE ARE THE HEATWAVE WARNINGS ACTIVE?
While the northern transition is gradual, parts of Central and East India are already feeling the burn.
The weather office notes that mercury levels will jump by three to five degrees Celsius in these areas.
Heatwave conditions are set to grip isolated pockets of Odisha on Monday, April 13, and Tuesday, April 14, while Chhattisgarh will face similar conditions from Tuesday through Friday, April 17.
A heatwave is defined as a period where temperatures stay at least 4.5 to 6.4 degrees Celsius above the normal seasonal average.
For residents in these states, the afternoon Sun is becoming increasingly dangerous, and authorities have advised caution during peak hours.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE NORTHEAST REGION?
In a completely different world, the Northeast is currently battling turbulent skies.
A trough, which is an elongated area of low atmospheric pressure, is stretching from north Bihar to Manipur.
This acts as a conveyor belt for moisture, pulling in damp air from the Bay of Bengal.
Today, this system will trigger widespread light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms across Assam and Meghalaya.
Tonight, while the rest of India stays dry under starry skies, these hills will echo with the sound of rain and gusty winds reaching up to 50 kilometres per hour.
As evening falls across the plains, the strong northwesterly winds will begin to calm, offering a final few hours of coolness.
But as the stars emerge tonight, they look down on a landscape preparing for a transformation.
The brief respite of April is over, and by tomorrow morning, the Sun will return with a sharper edge, marking the definitive arrival of the Indian summer.
- Ends