As parts of eastern and south India deal with the effects of Cyclone Asani, several states in the country are expected to experience a lingering heatwave this week. Assam, Meghalaya, parts of West Bengal and Kerala are experiencing heavy rainfall, while on the other side of the country, places like Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are recording record high temperatures. If you’re travelling this week, it might do well to stay informed, so you can pack accordingly. Here are the hottest and coolest places in India this week.
Hottest places in India
On Sunday, temperatures surged in Delhi, with Mungeshpur near Haryana recording a maximum temperature of 49°C. Gurugram reported a maximum temperature of 48°C—the highest since 1996. It was the hottest day in the capital this year. In Uttar Pradesh, mercury hit 49°C in the Banda district—the highest temperature ever recorded in the district in May. Several parts of Rajasthan, including Bikaner and Kota, as well as parts of Punjab, Madhya Pradesh (Gwalior, Khajuraho), Bihar, Jharkhand and Vidarbha (Nagpur, Wardha, Bramhapuri) are recording temperatures above 45°C.
The IMD has issued a red alert in Rajasthan for an intense spell of the heatwave. Orange alerts have been issued in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and parts of Madhya Pradesh. The heatwave is, however, expected to decrease in intensity starting Tuesday, 17 May.
Coolest places in India
If all you want to do is make a run for the hills, there are several places in India where the weather is pleasant and cool. In Ladakh, temperatures are currently ranging between 4°C-7°C, with some clouds and the possibility of rain. Jammu & Kashmir is pleasant and cloudy, with temperatures staying steadily below 25°C. You can expect similar weather in Himachal Pradesh, where the maximum temperature is 26°C. There are also scattered showers bringing cool relief to the hills. Coonoor in Tamil Nadu and Munnar in Kerala are also great hill-station getaways, especially if you enjoy the rains. Temperatures in both places are below 20°C this week, with heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.
Note: The hottest and coldest places were referenced based on the weather forecast on Accuweather.com; actual temperatures may vary.