“North India heatwave conditions intensified on Saturday as temperatures crossed 46°C in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi despite brief rainfall in the capital.“
A brief spell of rain in Delhi on Saturday morning did little to slow one of the broadest heatwaves India has faced this summer, with temperatures crossing 46°C in Uttar Pradesh and severe alerts remaining active across multiple states. The India Meteorological Department said heatwave conditions are likely to continue until May 28 in large parts of north, west and central India. Red alerts remain in place for southern Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha and coastal Andhra Pradesh, while Punjab, Haryana, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh are under orange alerts.
In Banda district of Uttar Pradesh, temperatures touched 46.1°C. Delhi’s Ridge station recorded 45.3°C on Friday, while Ayanagar logged 44.5°C. Safdarjung, the city’s base observatory, reported 43.6°C. Officials are now changing daily schedules to avoid afternoon exposure.
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Punjab shifts school, office timings
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced revised timings for government offices and schools beginning May 25. Offices and educational institutions will function from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM. “The move is aimed at reducing exposure to peak afternoon heat”, the report said.
The IMD warned that “very high likelihood” conditions for heat illness and heatstroke persist across several districts. Rajkot Medical Officer of Health Jayesh L Vakani urged residents to avoid unnecessary outdoor movement during afternoon hours as Gujarat cities continued recording temperatures between 42°C and 43°C.
Delhi gets rain, heat stress continues
Rainfall in parts of Delhi brought temporary relief Saturday morning, but weather officials said warm night conditions remain a concern. Several reports noted the capital experienced one of its hottest nights in years during the current heatwave cycle.
In Himachal Pradesh, Shimla and nearby districts recorded a temperature drop of 6–8°C due to a western disturbance. IMD Senior Scientist Sandeep Kumar Sharma said thunderstorms could affect Chamba, Kangra and Kullu over the next few days. Elsewhere, conditions remained severe. Maharashtra’s Bramhapuri crossed 47°C earlier this week, among the highest readings reported nationwide.
Environmental stress is also becoming visible. Images from affected regions showed dead fish floating in shrinking water bodies as prolonged heat pushed water temperatures higher and reduced oxygen levels. Scientists have repeatedly linked longer and more intense South Asian heatwaves to climate change, warning such events are becoming more frequent across the region.
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