Northwest and Central  India, which have been in the grip of unprecedented heatwave conditions in the last few days, may get some respite  gradually from Thursday. However, don't breathe a sigh of relief as unfortunately, after the respite, the region will again witness a higher number of heatwave days in June.

 "Normally, northwest India and the adjoining areas record two to three heatwave days in June. But this time, we expect four to six days of heatwave in this region," said IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

The IMD has issued a red warning for six States in the region — Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi-NCR, East Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh — indicating severe heatwave conditions.

It downgraded the red alert to an orange alert over these States on May 30 but it will persist in Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi-NCR until May 31, as per the IMD.

Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are very likely in most/many parts of Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh on May 29 and gradual reduction thereafter with heatwave conditions in isolated/some parts till June 1, 2024, as per the IMD.

Record-breaking temperatures have been observed across several weather stations in the Northwest region. Notable records were noticed in Churu, Rajasthan, touching a scorching 50.5°C, Agra-Taj, Uttar Pradesh at 48.6°C, and Sirsa, Haryana at 50.3°C.

"These extreme conditions can be attributed to a confluence of factors, including the absence of rainfall, strong dry winds, and an anti-cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan and adjoining Gujarat," said the IMD

Further, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions will also persist in Jammu division and Himachal Pradesh, whereas isolated pockets of Gujarat will experience hot and humid weather.

However, a fresh western disturbance is likely to bring some relief.  A temporary, yet gradual reduction in these extreme conditions is expected from May 30, with isolated heat wave conditions persisting in Punjab until June 2.

Isolated light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is expected over Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh from May 29 to June 1 and over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad on May 30 and 31. Additionally, isolated very light rainfall is anticipated over the plains of Northwest India from May 30 to June 2.

The oppressive heatwave condition is already taking a toll on the people, including students. For instance, in Bihar which recorded its all-time high maximum temperature at 47.7 degrees Celsius in Aurangabad on Tuesday, reported a number of students in schools in at least three districts fell unconscious due to extreme heatwave conditions on Wednesday.

The State is reeling under sizzling heat as the day temperature crossed 44 degrees Celsius at several places in the State on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the IMD has predicted that heatwave conditions are likely to prevail over the State in another three or four days. In Odisha, too, the IMD has predicted heatwave conditions in several districts. The Bihar government also  ordered the closure of all private and government-run schools, coaching institutes and anganwadi centres until June 8 in view of relentless heat wave conditions in various  districts.