New Delhi, May 29 (IANS): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday forecast that the prevailing heatwave conditions mainly in north and central India are likely to reduce gradually from Thursday (May 30).

The IMD's prediction came on a day when Delhi recorded the season's highest-ever temperature at 52.3 degrees Celsius. The national capital and its peripherals, however, received drizzle in the evening, bringing respite from the sweltering temperatures.

Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed in most parts of Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab; many parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The highest maximum temperature of 52.3 degrees Celsius was recorded in Delhi's Mungeshpur locality on Wednesday.

The IMD also said that the conditions continue to become favourable for the onset of the monsoon in Kerala during the next 24 hours and the advance of the monsoon in some parts of the northeastern states during the same period.

It has also forecast widespread rain in the southern, eastern and northeastern states.

The IMD forecast widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, as well as in Karnataka during the next 7 days and coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema during June 1-4.

It has also forecast widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, West Bengal and Sikkim during the next 7 days.

According to the forecast, there will be scattered light/moderate rainfall in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha during the next five days.