Isolated rain, no respite from heat in next four days, forecasts IMD

RANCHI: The Ranchi weather office urged people not to venture out between 11 am and 3 pm for the next five days and alerted that heatwave like scenarios were developing in several parts of the state owing to the above normal daytime temperatures.

“Heatwave like condition is developing in several parts of the state. Maximum temperature is presently above 40 degrees Celsius and a change in the current weather conditions are unlikely in the next four to five days,” the Ranchi office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

In its advisory, the weather office advised residents to remain indoors between 11 am and 3 pm and warned the manual workers to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun between (10 am and 4 pm).

Ranchi recorded 39.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, while Jamshedpur simmered at 43.3 degrees Celsius. Daltonganj recorded 43.3 degrees Celsius, which, together with Jamshedpur, recorded highest daytime temperature on Wednesday.

Other parts of the state also reeled under the rising mercury levels. Deoghar recorded 41.8 degrees Celsius, while Giridih recorded 40.6 degrees Celsius. Garhwa sizzled at 42.1 degrees Celsius, while Bokaro recorded 40.5 degrees Celsius.

Daytime temperatures in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Daltonganj were more than three notches above normal.

Though the weather office did not predict any respite from the sweltering heat, it said that the state is likely to experience light to moderate rain accompanied by thunder and lightning in isolated parts between Wednesday and May 21. While thunder and lightning alert for the next five days were issued for all the 24 districts, the IMD forecast isolated rain in northeastern, central and southeastern districts in the next five days.

On Wednesday evening, the weather office issued nowcast alerts for isolated rain in parts of Dumka, Sahibganj and Gumla districts.

IMD Ranchi scientist Abhishek Anand said: “The isolated rain will occur due to a trough line which currently exists over Bihar and extends up to Chattisgarh. But the rain will not cause the maximum temperatures to dip as rain is expected post 2 pm.”