From Delhi to UP, heatwave intensifies across India; Banda records season’s highest at 48°C. See full list inside

Large parts of India remained under the grip of an intense heatwave on Wednesday, with several districts in north, central and western India recording temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Uttar Pradesh’s Banda emerged as the hottest location in the country after recording a maximum temperature of 48 degrees Celsius. The IMD said maximum temperatures across northwest, west, central, adjoining east and north peninsular India remained in the range of 40°C to 47°C over the last 24 hours. Severe Heatwave Conditions In Uttar Pradesh According to the IMD, weather conditions remained dry across both meteorological subdivisions of Uttar Pradesh during the last 24 hours. The state also witnessed widespread heatwave conditions, including “loo” and “severe loo” conditions in several districts. The weather agency said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were recorded at isolated places in eastern Uttar Pradesh, while western Uttar Pradesh experienced heatwave conditions at multiple locations. Extremely hot night conditions were also reported in parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Strong dust-raising winds were additionally observed at isolated places in western Uttar Pradesh. The IMD noted that day temperatures rose significantly in the Ayodhya division, including Ambedkar Nagar, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Sultanpur, and Amethi, where temperatures increased by 2.1°C to 4°C over the last 24 hours. Prayagraj division — which includes Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Kaushambi and Pratapgarh — recorded temperatures “appreciably above normal”, with deviations exceeding 5.1°C. Several divisions, including Lucknow, Jhansi, Agra and Meerut, recorded temperatures “markedly above normal”, with deviations ranging between 3.1°C and 5°C. Districts in Varanasi, Kanpur, Bareilly and Moradabad divisions also reported temperatures above seasonal averages. North India Continues To Reel Under Extreme Heat The IMD said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed in many pockets of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. Heatwave conditions were also reported in parts of Punjab, East Uttar Pradesh, East Madhya Pradesh and West Uttar Pradesh. At 2:30 PM on 21 May, Bramhapuri and Chandrapur in Vidarbha recorded temperatures of 46.4°C, among the highest in the country at that time. The weather department further stated that temperatures remained markedly above normal across several states, including Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Uttar Pradesh. States such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, Odisha and Vidarbha also continued to witness temperatures significantly above normal levels. IMD Issues Fresh Heatwave Warning The IMD has warned that severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist across several regions over the coming days. According to the forecast, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are “very likely” in parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi between 21 May and 27 May. Punjab is also expected to remain under heatwave conditions during the same period. The weather agency said East Uttar Pradesh is likely to witness heatwave to severe heatwave conditions between 21 May and 27 May, while West Uttar Pradesh is expected to continue experiencing heatwave conditions over the next several days. Heatwave conditions are also expected over parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Bihar, Telangana, Jharkhand and Odisha. Warm night conditions are likely in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha, Bihar, Haryana and Delhi, according to the IMD. The department also warned of hot, humid weather over Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, and parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry later this week. Rising Heat Across Multiple States The latest IMD data underlines the widespread nature of the current heatwave, with large parts of north and central India experiencing temperatures well above seasonal averages.