Heatwave bakes Delhi, North India; relief hope as IMD forecasts rain

3 min readNew DelhiJun 30, 2026 02:37 PM IST

Commuters cover faces to beat the extreme heat amid a heatwave, in Prayagraj on Saturday. (ANI Photo)

Large parts of north and northwest India continue to live under a prolonged heatwave, although the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast spells of rain and thunderstorms that could bring some relief over the coming days. According to the IMD, heatwave conditions are likely to persist in isolated pockets of East Uttar Pradesh on June 29 and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi on June 29 and 30.

For Delhi, heatwave conditions at isolated places on June 29, with maximum temperatures expected to remain between 41°C to 43°C, around 3.1°C to 5°C above normal which is also more than 5.1°C above normal at isolated locations.

However, the IMD has predicted light rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, dust storms, and strong surface winds of 30–40 kmph, gusting up to 50 kmph, during the afternoon or evening at isolated places in the national capital on June 29.

Temperature map of India on Tuesday afternoon (Image: Accuweather via OpenStreetMap)

Northwest India forecast

The IMD has forecast isolated to scattered rainfall over Jammu & Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad and Himachal Pradesh on June 29 and 30. Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab are likely to witness rain from June 29 to July 1 and again on July 5.

West Uttar Pradesh is expected to receive rain on June 29-30 and July 5, while East Uttar Pradesh may see showers on June 29 and July 4-5. Rajasthan is likely to witness rainfall between June 29 and July 5.

Heavy rain likely over central, eastern and northeastern India

The IMD has forecast widespread rainfall over Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Vidarbha, with heavy rainfall expected over parts of Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha through the week.

In eastern India, Gangetic West Bengal, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha are likely to receive widespread rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in several areas, with extremely heavy rainfall likely over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.

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Across the Northeast, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura are expected to witness widespread rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya.

Heatwave advisory

The IMD has advised people to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, especially during peak afternoon hours, as high temperatures increase the risk of heat-related illnesses.

Infants, older adults and people with chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable. People are advised to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, even if they are not thirsty, and consume oral rehydration solutions (ORS) or homemade drinks such as lassi, lemon water, buttermilk and rice water (torani) to prevent dehydration.