In the broad arc of the seasons, the people of Uttar Pradesh have found themselves under a heat that has pressed hard against the plains, with Banda reaching 47.4°C on Tuesday as hot, dry westerly winds crossed the state without anything to stop them. The India Meteorological Department has placed several districts under a red alert that holds until Wednesday, a reminder of how fully the land can be given over to heat when nothing interrupts it. Yet the same sky that has held the heat is already shifting, as a fresh western disturbance and easterly winds gather to bring storms, hail and a cool
Heatwave to Break Across UP as Thunderstorms Arrive From May 28; Banda Hits 47.4°C
Banda hit 47.4°C as storms waited in the forecast
Mark
Banda hit 47.4°C. Is that the headline, or is it the forecast drop?
Mimi
Both matter. Banda led, but Orai, Jhansi, Prayagraj, Agra and Hamirpur were all above 45°C. It was broad heat, not one hot spot.
Luke
Worth noting these are Tuesday readings. The forecast of relief is a forecast, not an outcome.
Mark
What is driving the heat?
Mimi
The IMD points to hot, dry westerly winds with no active weather system to interrupt them.
Mark
And what ends it?
Mimi
A fresh western disturbance plus easterly winds, with a 6° to 8°C drop expected.
Luke
That drop is the IMD's projection. The source doesn't say how it will vary by district, so I'd treat 6 to 8 as a general expectation.
Mark
The relief comes with its own risks, doesn't it?
Mimi
Yes. Winds of 60 to 70 kmph, gusting to 80, plus lightning and hail in places like Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Bareilly, Sitapur and Kanpur.
Luke
Also, the source gives slightly different wind figures in different places, 70 to 80 kmph for the strongest activity. That's a range, not a promise, and it doesn't say which districts get which.
Mark
So when does relief actually start?
Mimi
The IMD says May 29, with storms from May 28.
Il Polso
- Banda hit 47.4°C on Tuesday, the hottest reading in Uttar Pradesh, with Orai, Jhansi, Prayagraj and Agra all scorching past 45°C.
- A red alert for severe heatwave remains in force across several districts until Wednesday, while Lucknow's nights offer little escape at 28.3°C.
- A western disturbance and incoming easterly winds are gathering, poised to break the heat with thunderstorms and rain from May 28.
- Gusts of 60 to 80 kmph and hailstorms threaten the western and central districts, including Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Bareilly and Kanpur.
- Temperatures are expected to drop by 6 to 8°C, with relief arriving from May 29, though the abrupt handoff from scorching heat to violent weather is likely to be felt sharply.
In the broad arc of the seasons, the people of Uttar Pradesh have found themselves under a heat that has pressed hard against the plains, with Banda reaching 47.4°C on Tuesday as hot, dry westerly winds crossed the state without anything to stop them. The India Meteorological Department has placed several districts under a red alert that holds until Wednesday, a reminder of how fully the land can be given over to heat when nothing interrupts it. Yet the same sky that has held the heat is already shifting, as a fresh western disturbance and easterly winds gather to bring storms, hail and a cooling of six to eight degrees from May 28 onward. The story is less about the heat alone than about the turn that is coming, and the uneasy hours in between.
On Tuesday, Banda became the hottest place in Uttar Pradesh, recording 47.4°C. The reading came on a day when hot, dry westerly winds swept across the state's west and south, with no weather system standing in their way to slow them down.
Banda was not alone. Orai, Jhansi, Prayagraj, Agra and Hamirpur all stayed above 45°C, and Lucknow's minimum of 28.3°C offered little respite after dark. The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for severe heatwave in several districts, which runs until Wednesday, and the heat is expected to persist in many areas through May 27.
The forecast then begins to turn. A fresh western disturbance and easterly winds are expected to bring thunderstorms and rain from May 28, with rainfall rising across both western and eastern Uttar Pradesh through May 30, and temperatures falling by 6 to 8°C. The change will not be gentle. Gusts of 60 to 80 kmph and hailstorms are likely across the Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Bareilly, Sitapur and Kanpur divisions.
The weather office says relief will be felt from May 29. The moment to watch is the handoff, when the red alert gives way just as the storms arrive, bringing cooler air with hail and high winds.
On Tuesday, Banda was the hottest place in Uttar Pradesh, with a maximum temperature of 47.4°C. The reading came on a day when hot, dry westerly winds blew across the state's west and south and no active weather system stood in their way.
Banda was not alone. Orai recorded 45.8°C and Jhansi 45.5°C. Prayagraj reached 45.4°C and Agra 45.3°C, while Hamirpur stood at 45.2°C. In Lucknow the maximum was 42.9°C and the minimum 28.3°C, which means little relief after dark.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for severe to extreme heatwave conditions in several districts, running until Wednesday. Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were forecast to persist through May 27 in Banda, Agra, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba and Jhansi. Heatwave conditions were also likely in Chitrakoot, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Meerut, Aligarh, Etawah and neighbouring districts. Warm nights are expected at isolated places across the state, adding to the discomfort. For Lucknow on Wednesday, the IMD expects clear skies and strong dust-raising winds during the day.
The forecast then turns. A fresh western disturbance and incoming easterly winds are expected to set off thunderstorms and rain from May 28. The IMD says rainfall will gradually increase across both western and eastern UP between May 28 and May 30, and that temperatures could fall by 6° to 8°C as a result.
The change will not be gentle. Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds are likely over large parts of the state in that window. Wind speeds may reach 60 to 70 kmph, gusting up to 80 kmph, in several districts. Hailstorms are likely in parts of western and central UP, including the Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Bareilly, Sitapur and Kanpur divisions.
The districts expected to see thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds between May 28 and May 30 include Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, Kanpur, Bareilly, Agra and Meerut. Several districts of eastern and central UP could see especially strong activity, with winds touching 70 to 80 kmph.
The weather office expects the current heatwave to continue for roughly two more days before conditions begin shifting on May 28. In its advisory, the IMD said that widespread rain and thunderstorm activity should bring temperatures down significantly, and that people may get relief from the heatwave from May 29.
What to watch is the handoff: the red alert runs out as storms are forecast to arrive, with hail and high winds expected alongside the cooler air.
Citazioni salienti
Due to widespread rain and thunderstorm activity, temperatures are likely to fall significantly and people may get relief from the ongoing heatwave from May 29.— IMD advisory
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