Rain, thunderstorm to bring relief from heat wave conditions for a week: IMD

Heat wave conditions are unlikely to return to most parts of India until the month end and a fresh rain spell is expected in the northwest region from Friday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.

While the maximum temperatures in northwest, central and east India oscillated between 36 and 39 degrees Celsius on Sunday, it hovered between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius in the rest of the country, barring the western Himalayan region where it settled between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius, the MeT said.

"No heat wave conditions are likely in the country during the next seven days," the weather office said.

A fresh wet spell is predicted over the western Himalaya region from April 26 and over the northwestern plains from April 28, it added. The IMD also predicted a fresh spell of thunderstorms or hailstorms over central Maharashtra, Telangana, and southern districts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh from April 25 to April 27. Tamil Nadu and Kerala are likely to continue witnessing thunderstorms or rain for the next 3-4 days.

Heavy rainfall is expected at isolated places in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu on April 24, in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya on April 28, in Kerala from April 24 to 27, and in Telangana on April 27, it said.  Hailstorms may also occur at isolated places over Telangana from April 24-26, central Maharashtra during April 25-27, south Chhattisgarh from April 25-26, and east Madhya Pradesh on April 26.