IMD warns of heat wave till June 14 for northwest

Extreme heat is impacting several high altitude areas in the Himalayas with several stations recording heat wave conditions for the past 4-5 days, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said on Thursday, adding that heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are likely to prevail over northwest India till Saturday.

- Jayashree Nandi

NEW DELHI:

According to officials, the spike in temperatures over the hills and northern plains was mainly due to high solar insolation in the absence of cloud cover. Such conditions were reported in several stations including Qazigund, Kokernag, Srinagar, Banihal, Jammu, Kathua, Batote in Jammu & Kashmir; and Una, Bhuntar and Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

"This is mainly due to clear skies and direct sunshine and possibly dry winds," said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate and meteorology at Skymet Weather.

Temperatures were 6.5°C above the normal in several areas of Jammu, Arunachal Pradesh, and central Assam, the Met department said.

The maximum temperature in Arunachal Pradesh's capital Itanagar reached 39.7°C—highest ever recorded for June, IMD said, adding that maximum temperatures remained near 40°C in many stations across Assam.