IMD warns of severe heatwave across north India as monsoon advances; power demand hits record

NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of severe heatwave conditions across north and central India this week, with record electricity demand underscoring the strain from rising temperatures even as the southwest monsoon advances towards Kerala.

India’s peak power demand hit a fresh record high of 260.45 GW on Tuesday (4.40 PM) as heatwave conditions gripped large parts of north and central India. This is the second consecutive day that the peak demand has reached fresh highs. On Monday, peak demand hit 257.37 GW surpassing the previous high of 256.1 GW recorded on 25 April.

In a tweet, the power ministry said: "This is a new high surpassing yesterday's peak demand (solar hours) of 257.37 GW which was also successfully met."

According to the Central Electricity Authority, India's peak demand may touch 271 GW this year. In the national capital, the peak demand on Tuesday reached the highest level so far this year, at 7,776 MW. The record level for Delhi is 8,656 MW, recorded in June 2024.

Further, demand during non-solar hours also hit a new high of 247.21 GW at 10.29 pm on Monday. “The power availability in the country is sufficient and robust mechanisms are in place to meet the summer demand,” the ministry added.

Heatwave intensifies

The IMD said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely over northwest and central India over the next several days, particularly across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and adjoining states.

West Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are expected to face heatwave to severe heatwave conditions between 20-25 May, while East Uttar Pradesh and Vidarbha may witness similar conditions from 20-21 May, easing marginally thereafter but remaining under heatwave conditions till 25 May.

Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi are also likely to experience heatwave conditions during 20–25 May, with severe heatwave conditions in some pockets on 20 May, raising concerns over public health, power demand and water stress.

Rajasthan is expected to remain under heatwave conditions throughout the week, while isolated pockets of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand may also see unusually high temperatures.

In peninsular India, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam are likely to experience heatwave conditions during 20–25 May, with severe heatwave episodes forecast in isolated pockets on 21-22 May. The IMD also forecast heatwave conditions in isolated areas of Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Odisha, Marathwada and southwest Bihar during different periods this week.

The scale of the temperature rise is already visible across large parts of the country.

Maximum temperatures on 18 May were in the range of 38-47°C over northwest, west, central, adjoining east and Peninsular India. The highest maximum temperature of 47.6°C was reported at Banda in Uttar Pradesh.

IMD defines a heatwave as temperatures at least 4.5°C above normal, with higher departures classified as severe.

Day temperatures on 18 May were markedly above normal (5.1°C or more) over Jammu-Kashmir; appreciably above normal (3.1°C to 5.0°C) over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, Uttar Pradesh; and above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) over Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat State, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, north Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha.

Monsoon gathers pace

Even as north and central India reel under extreme heat, the monsoon is gathering pace over southern waters.

The IMD said conditions are favourable for the further advance of the southwest monsoon into more parts of the southeast Arabian Sea, Comorin region, southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal, the remaining areas of the Andaman Sea and parts of the east-central Bay of Bengal over the next three to four days.

The weather office said the southwest monsoon is likely to set in over Kerala on 26 May, with a model error margin of plus or minus four days, broadly in line with the normal onset window.

The IMD has also forecast isolated heavy rainfall over the Andaman & Nicobar Islands during the week, alongside rainfall activity in northeast and adjoining eastern India between 21-25 May, signalling strengthening pre-monsoon activity as the monsoon progresses northward.

The monsoon update comes as the country prepares for the crucial kharif sowing season, which depends heavily on the timely arrival and spread of seasonal rainfall.

The southwest monsoon provides nearly 70% of India’s annual rainfall and is critical for farm output, rural incomes and water reservoirs.

"Timely and adequate pre-monsoon moisture will boost kharif sowing, particularly sugarcane, across Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, & Karnataka. For the distilleries sector, a robust sugarcane crop directly translates into higher molasses and juice availability, strengthening ethanol production," said Vijendra Singh, president, All India Distillers association.