The worst of April's heat may finally be letting up. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Tuesday that intense heatwave conditions will begin to ease across northern and central India from April 28, with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds forecast for Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana are also in line for rough weather. Temperatures are expected to dip by 2-3°C over the coming days.

A cyclonic circulation is driving the change. "There is a cyclonic circulation over adjoining central Pakistan, northwest Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana. It is currently strong and moving towards north-east India," Mahesh Palawat of Skymet told PTI. "Parts of Rajasthan and Haryana may receive rainfall tonight, and the system is expected to reach Delhi on Tuesday and persist till April 30."

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Jammu and Kashmir is likely to see isolated hailstorm activity on Tuesday, with Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand facing similar conditions on Wednesday. A western disturbance has already brought light rainfall to Shimla.

IMD state-by-state alerts

The mountain states are first in line. Jammu & Kashmir can expect light to moderate rain or snow, thunderstorms, and winds up to 50 kmph on April 28–29, with isolated hail on Tuesday. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand face similar conditions — rain, snow, and gusty winds stretching from April 28 through early May, with hail likely on April 28–29.

Across the plains, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi are under rain and wind alerts from April 28–30, with thundersqualls reaching up to 70 kmph in Punjab and Haryana. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan will see light to moderate rain and winds through the end of the month, with East Rajasthan and East UP remaining unsettled into early May.

Central India isn't spared either. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are under rain alerts through May 2, with Chhattisgarh bracing for strong thundersqualls from April 29 to May 1. Vidarbha is expected to see lightning activity over the same period.

In the east, Bihar is forecast to receive heavy rain and thundersqualls of up to 70 kmph on April 28, with unsettled conditions persisting through May 1. Jharkhand faces thundersqualls through April 30 and isolated hail on April 30. Odisha, West Bengal, and Sikkim will see scattered to widespread rain over the next several days, with the Bengal-Sikkim region remaining wet for at least six days.

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The northeast sees the heaviest rainfall in the forecast — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya are all on alert for heavy to very heavy rain from April 28 through early May.

In the south, Kerala, Telangana, and Karnataka can expect rain from April 28 to May 1, while Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal are in for heavy rainfall from April 30 to May 2.

Delhi: From heatwave to yellow alert

Delhi bore the brunt of Monday's heat, with temperatures peaking at 42.3°C and a dust storm rolling in by evening. Tuesday brings a marked shift, skies are expected to turn cloudy, with the maximum temperature forecast to ease into the 40–42°C range. The city is likely to see very light rain or drizzle, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and winds gusting up to 50 kmph.

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds in Delhi through Thursday. Despite no active heatwave alert, temperatures will remain above normal — minimums running 3.1°C to 5°C higher than usual, and maximums still 1.6°C to 3°C above the seasonal average.

Published on: Apr 28, 2026 3:37 PM IST