new Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Overcast skies and sporadic rainfall prevailed over several states on Sunday, bringing significant relief from scorching summer temperatures as the India Meteorological Department announced that heatwave conditions have officially abated across the country. The national capital and surrounding areas witnessed a sharp plunge in temperatures, a seasonal shift that meteorological experts attribute to intense rain and thunderstorm activity triggered by an active western disturbance stationed over Rajasthan and central Pakistan.
The weather department has forecast moderate to severe thunderstorm activity accompanied by squally winds hitting speeds of up to 90 kmph over northwest, central, and adjoining eastern regions of the country. Concurrently, the IMD indicated that atmospheric conditions remain highly favorable for the southwest monsoon to advance into additional parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu over the next three to four days.
The sudden weather transition triggered significant regional disruptions, particularly in the hill state of Uttarakhand, where heavy downpours and adverse conditions forced authorities to temporarily suspend the Kedarnath Yatra, leaving hundreds of pilgrims stranded until skies cleared later in the day. In Champawat district, a major tragedy was narrowly averted near the Sri Reetha Sahib Gurdwara during the annual Jod Mela, where rescue teams successfully extracted more than 50 pilgrims who had become trapped in a swollen river. Maximum temperatures across Uttarakhand’s plains and high-altitude zones stayed markedly below normal, with Dehradun recording a maximum of 26.6 degrees Celsius—nine notches below the seasonal average. The IMD has issued a yellow alert for the state, warning of potential lightning, gusty winds, and localized snowfall in areas situated above 3,800 metres.
In Rajasthan, a sweeping dust storm reduced visibility across Jaisalmer before turning into light to moderate showers, dropping the peak temperature to 42.6 degrees Celsius in Phalodi. Meanwhile, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 35.8 degrees Celsius, more than four notches below normal, with weather officials projecting a gradual rise in mercury starting Monday as the western disturbance begins to weaken. Similar cooling trends were reported across Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Chandigarh recorded a maximum of 32 degrees Celsius, sitting seven notches below normal limits, while Lucknow received 2.4 mm of rainfall, keeping its daytime temperature well capped at 36.3 degrees Celsius. Conversely, Jammu and Kashmir experienced standard seasonal conditions, with Srinagar recording a slightly warmer maximum of 28.4 degrees Celsius ahead of widespread showers anticipated by early June.
