New Delhi, Jun 12 (IANS): In a sign of relief from the sweltering summer heat prevailing in most parts of the country, the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) on Saturday also forecast "no heat wave conditions likely over any part of the country during the next five days".
As per the Met department, the conditions are favourable for further advancement of southwest monsoon into some more parts of Madhya Pradesh, remaining parts Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar, and some parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh during the next 24 hours.
Maximum temperature of more than 40-degree Celsius as on Saturday were recorded at most places in west Rajasthan; at many places in Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi; and at a few places over east Rajasthan, Punjab, west Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
On Friday, the highest maximum temperature of 44.2-degree Celsius was reported in Ganganagar in west Rajasthan.
The latest report of the National Weather Forecasting Centre of the IMD received on Saturday evening predicted heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours at isolated places in Delhi, over the Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, west Uttar Pradesh, west Madhya Pradesh, central Maharashtra, Marathwada, Kerala and Mahe, coastal Karnataka, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam.
As per the IMD, wind blowing at a speed of 30-40 kmph is also likely at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Mahe and Telangana.
Lightning at isolated places over Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Konkan, Goa, Marathwada, Lakshadweep, Coastal Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam is also expected.
Thunderstorm or dust storm with gusty wind speed reaching up to 40-50 kmph is predicted at isolated places over west Rajasthan.
Besides, heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rain at isolated places is very likely over Konkan and Goa, Chhattisgarh, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, east Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Telangana.
"Strong winds (speed 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph) are very likely over southwest and adjoining west central Arabian Sea and south, central and north Bay of Bengal and along and off north Andhra Pradesh-Odisha-West Bengal coasts; speed reaching 45-55 kmph over Gulf of Mannar and speed reaching 40-50 kmph over North Arabian Sea and along and off Gujarat-Maharashtra coasts predicted," the IMD said.
Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas, said the IMD.
The low-pressure area now lies over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal areas of West Bengal and north Odisha. Associated cyclonic circulation extends up to mid-tropospheric levels tilting southwestwards with height. It is likely to become more marked and move west-northwestwards across Odisha, Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh during the next 2-3 days, said the IMD.
An east-west trough at lower tropospheric levels runs from south Punjab to the centre of low-pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal areas of West Bengal and north Odisha. The east-west trough is very likely to persist during next 3-4 days.
In addition, strong southwesterly winds are prevailing along the west coast at lower levels and an offshore trough lies off the west coast. These conditions are likely to persist during the next 4-5 days, the Met department said.
Under their influence, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall activity with isolated heavy to very heavy falls is very likely over Odisha, Chhattisgarh, east Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Telangana during the next 3-4 days.
Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls is expected over West Bengal and Sikkim, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the next 4-5 days.
Widespread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy falls is also possible over coastal and adjoining Ghats districts of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka during the next five days, the IMD said.
Moderate to severe thunderstorms are likely over Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Northwest Himalayas, which will be accompanied by frequent cloud to ground lightning and strong gusty winds during the next 4-5 days, it added.
"This may cause injuries leading to casualties to people and animals working outdoors," the IMD warned.