Heatwave intensifies, Churu in Rajasthan sizzles at 50-degree, Hisar in Haryana at 48-degree Celsius  

Heatwave conditions intensified in most parts of the northern states on Tuesday, with Churu in Rajasthan scorching at 50-degree Celsius and the mercury breaching the 47-degree mark in parts of the national capital.

Kuldeep Srivastava, Head of IMD's Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said, "Churu today had the highest maximum temperature at 50-degree Celsius. In the last 10 years, this is the second time the maximum temperature has surpassed this mark. Earlier on May 18, 2010, a temperature of 50.2-degree Celsius was recorded."

Churu had recorded 47.5-degree Celsius on Monday. In the national capital, Palam area recorded 47.6-degree Celsius, six notches above the normal, followed by Aya Nagar, Safdarjung and Lodhi Road.

Hisar in Haryana recorded its hottest day of the current summer so far at 48 degrees, with the maximum temperature settling five notches above normal limits, the Meteorological Department here said.

Blistering heat also swept Narnaul at 46 degrees Celsius, five notches above normal limits.

Among other places in Haryana, Ambala sizzled at 44.2 degrees Celsius, up five notches, while Karnal sweltered under intense heat at 44 degrees Celsius, five notches above normal limits.

Sweltering heat also swept Patiala in Punjab which recorded a high of 44.7 degrees Celsius, up four notches.

Amritsar and Ludhiana also recorded above normal maximums of 43.7 degrees Celsius and 44.1 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, also experienced a hot day at 43.1 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal limits.

According to the MeT department forecast, the heat wave conditions will continue to prevail for the next two days in Punjab and Haryana.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said earlier on Tuesday that heatwave conditions will peak due to the prevailing dry winds over Northwest India, Central India and adjoining interior parts of Eastern India.

Heat conditions will persist over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, East Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha till May 28.

The hot weather conditions will also prevail in isolated pockets over Punjab, Chhattisgarh, interior Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, interior Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar and Jharkhand for the next two to three days.

Srivastava said that there will be a respite from May 28 night onwards when western disturbance will affect Northwest India and easterly winds will prevail in the lower levels.

The western disturbance is a cyclonic storm that originates in the Mediterranean Sea and travels across Central Asia. When it comes in contact with the Himalayas, it brings rains to the hills and the plains.

Besides the heatwave, due to strong southerly wind from Bay of Bengal, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected at isolated places in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh till May 28.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) of the Jal Shakti Ministry on Tuesday issued a flood alert for the Brahmaputra river in three districts of Assam.

Parts of Assam and the neighbouring states have been receiving heavy rains since the super cyclone Amphan weakened last week.

With agencies input