Uttar Pradesh witnessed massive destruction after dust storms, heavy rain, and lightning struck several districts on May 13. (PTI Photo)
Days after thunderstorms and high-speed winds battered Uttar Pradesh, the state is staring at an intense heatwave spell that could push temperatures close to 45 degrees Celsius in several districts next week.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for parts of southern Uttar Pradesh from May 19 to May 22, warning of heatwave to severe heatwave conditions as dry weather and rising temperatures tighten their grip over the state.
Officials at the IMD’s Meteorological Centre in Lucknow said the absence of any active weather system over the region is likely to keep conditions largely dry over the next four to five days, allowing temperatures to climb sharply.
According to officials, temperatures are expected to rise by another 2–4 degrees Celsius due to increased radiational heating under clear skies.
“A fresh spell of heatwave conditions is likely to begin from southern Uttar Pradesh and gradually intensify in area and severity,” an official said.
The IMD warned that some districts in southern UP could witness “severe heatwave” conditions, prompting the upgrade from a yellow watch to an orange alert.
The warning comes less than a week after storms, rain, and gusty winds caused widespread destruction across the state, leading to at least 111 deaths and injuries to 72 people due to falling trees, collapsing structures, and lightning strikes.
Meanwhile, the IMD said the southwest monsoon advanced further on May 16 into parts of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Andaman Sea, and is likely to reach Kerala around May 26.
Officials said Uttar Pradesh is now headed towards a dramatic weather swing—from deadly storms to scorching heat within days.
According to officials, the orange alert applies largely to southern districts of the state, including Agra, Etawah, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Banda, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Pratapgarh, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Ghazipur, and Ballia.
Curated by Dr. Elena Rodriguez
