The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a comprehensive weather bulletin for the week of April 16–22, 2026, warning of intense heatwave conditions across central and northern India while the Northeast braces for heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.
India Heatwave Alert: Which States Are Under Severe Heat Warning?
The India heatwave alert this week covers a wide swathe of the country. Heat wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of East Madhya Pradesh during April 16–19; West Madhya Pradesh during April 17–19; Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh during April 17–20; Odisha on April 18 & 19; Jharkhand April 19 & 20; Marathawada, Madhya Maharashtra and North Interior Karnataka during April 16–18; and Rayalaseema on April 17 & 18.
Hot and humid weather conditions are very likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Odisha during April 16–22; Gangetic West Bengal during April 19–22; Konkan & Goa on April 16 & 17; coastal areas of Gujarat State during April 16–18; Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Mahe and Coastal Karnataka during April 16–20; and Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam during April 16–19.
According to the IMD bulletin, the highest maximum temperature of 44.2°C was reported at Akola, Maharashtra — a stark indicator of how intense the India heatwave alert situation has become across central India.
India Weather Alert: Region-Wise Forecast for April 16–22
Northwest India
Scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall/snowfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 40–50 kmph) is likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad during April 16–19, and isolated to scattered over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during April 17–19. Isolated light rainfall with thunderstorm and lightning is expected over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, and Rajasthan on April 17.
For Rajasthan specifically — including Jaipur — today’s weather is partly sunny and very warm, with a minimum temperature of 28°C and a maximum of 40°C.
Northeast India
The India weather alert is particularly serious for the Northeast. Scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 30–50 kmph) is likely over Arunachal Pradesh during April 18–20, Assam & Meghalaya during April 16–20, and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura on April 16. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Arunachal Pradesh during April 18–20, and Assam & Meghalaya during April 16–19.
East India
Isolated to scattered light rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 30–50 kmph) is likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim during April 16–19. A thundersquall with wind speed reaching 50–60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph is likely over Gangetic West Bengal on April 16.
Central India
Isolated light rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 30–40 kmph) is likely over West Madhya Pradesh on April 19 & 20, with lightning over Vidarbha & Chhattisgarh on April 20.
South Peninsular India
Isolated light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 30–40 kmph) is likely over Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam on April 16 & 17, and Interior Karnataka on April 19 & 20.
West India
Isolated light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm and lightning is likely over Madhya Maharashtra during April 18–20 and Marathawada during April 18–21.
Temperature Forecast: What to Expect This Week
A gradual rise in maximum temperatures by 2°C is likely over Central India during April 16–19, followed by a gradual fall of 2–3°C on April 20 & 21. No significant change is likely over Maharashtra & Gujarat during April 16–18, followed by a gradual fall by 2–3°C during April 19–22.
No significant change in maximum temperatures is likely over Northwest India during April 16–22.
For major cities today: New Delhi is predicted to reach a high of 39°C and a low of 20°C. Chandigarh will see a maximum of 36°C and a minimum of 17°C. Amritsar is expected at 34°C, Jammu at 32°C, and Dehradun at 35°C.
Meteorological Analysis: What’s Driving the Weather?
A Western Disturbance as a trough in middle and upper level subtropical westerlies with its axis at 5.8 km above mean sea level now runs roughly along Long. 58°E to the north of Lat. 32°N. An upper air cyclonic circulation lies over north Haryana and neighbourhood at 1.5 km above mean sea level. The east-west trough now runs from southeast Rajasthan to Manipur across cyclonic circulation over northeast Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Bangladesh and southeast Assam.
7-Day Rainfall Outlook for Key Subdivisions
According to IMD’s 7-day rainfall forecast table, Rajasthan (both East and West) is forecast as DRY for all seven days (April 16–22). The Northeast — including Arunachal Pradesh and Assam & Meghalaya — will see Widespread (WS) to Fairly Widespread (FWS) rainfall through much of the week, while Kerala and all Karnataka subdivisions will see Isolated (ISOL) rainfall throughout the period.
India Heatwave Alert: Safety Precautions
With the India heatwave alert in force across multiple states, IMD and authorities recommend the following:
- Stay hydrated and avoid prolonged sun exposure between 11 AM and 4 PM
- Wear light, loose, light-coloured cotton clothing
- Use ORS, buttermilk, or lemon water to prevent dehydration
- Farmers in heat-affected regions should irrigate crops during early morning or evening hours
- Keep livestock in shaded areas and provide ample drinking water
Impact of Heavy Rainfall in Northeast & East India
Expected impacts from heavy rainfall include localized flooding of roads, waterlogging in low-lying areas and closure of underpasses mainly in urban areas, occasional reduction in visibility, disruption of traffic in major cities, minor damage to kutcha roads, possibilities of damage to vulnerable structures, localized landslides and mudslides, and damage to horticulture and standing crops in some areas due to inundation.
The India weather alert this week presents a sharply divided picture: the Northeast, Sub-Himalayan belt, and parts of coastal India will grapple with heavy rain and storm activity, while central and northern plains face an intensifying India heatwave alert through the middle of the week. Residents in states like Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Odisha, and Rajasthan should take the heatwave warnings seriously and follow all precautions issued by local authorities.
Source: India Meteorological Department (IMD) All India Weather Summary and Forecast Bulletin, issued April 16, 2026 at 14:05 IST.
