As much of India awaits the further advance of the southwest monsoon, travelers across large parts of the country are currently dealing with two extremes simultaneously: dangerous heatwave conditions in the north and central regions, and heavy rain warnings in the south and northeast. The latest bulletin from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) paints a picture of a week where travel plans may require serious weather-proofing, whether heading to the hills, beaches, wildlife parks, or cities.
Intense Heatwave in Northwest and Central India
The most pressing concern remains the intense heatwave sweeping across northwest and central India. The IMD has warned that heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue over Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, and Coastal Andhra Pradesh through much of the week. Uttar Pradesh remains under a red alert, while several other regions are on orange alert. Banda in Uttar Pradesh recorded the country's highest temperature at a scorching 47.6 degrees Celsius.
For travelers, this means daytime sightseeing across the north Indian plains could become extremely difficult over the coming days. Popular summer routes through Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Varanasi, and central Indian destinations may face harsh afternoon conditions, warm nights, and an increased risk of dehydration. The IMD has advised people to avoid prolonged heat exposure, drink sufficient water, wear lightweight cotton clothing, and avoid outdoor movement during peak afternoon hours.
Monsoon Progress and Heavy Rainfall in South and Northeast
At the same time, the monsoon story is slowly beginning to unfold over southern waters. The IMD said conditions are favorable for the further advance of the southwest monsoon into more parts of the southeast Arabian Sea, the Comorin area, the Bay of Bengal, and the remaining Andaman Sea during the next three to four days.
Heavy rainfall activity is expected to intensify across several regions. In the northeast, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall over multiple days. Hill travelers heading towards Darjeeling, Gangtok, Meghalaya, or Arunachal Pradesh may face waterlogging, landslides, and reduced visibility.
Southern India Wet and Stormy
Southern India is also likely to remain wet and stormy. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, and Rayalaseema are expected to witness widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds. Kerala and Tamil Nadu are likely to receive heavy rainfall spells well into next week, while parts of Interior Karnataka may experience thundersqualls with wind speeds reaching up to 70 kilometers per hour.
Beach and island travel could also become risky in parts of the Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Mannar, Andaman Sea, Lakshadweep region, and adjoining Arabian Sea areas.
Eastern India: Thunderstorms and Lightning
Eastern India, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, is expected to witness thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds, and isolated heavy rainfall events. Bihar may receive very heavy rainfall on 24 May, while Gangetic West Bengal could see strong thundersquall activity.
The IMD has also warned that heavy rainfall could lead to waterlogging, traffic disruptions, localized flooding, landslides, and damage to vulnerable structures in some regions. Thunderstorms may also result in falling tree branches, temporary power outages, and travel delays.
