At the same time, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued multiple alerts for heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds across 17 states beginning May 18, as reported by Navbharat Times.
Uttarakhand Under Heavy Rain And Wind WarningHeavy rain and strong wind alerts have been issued for Nainital, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar, Pauri Garhwal, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Almora and Udham Singh Nagar.
Severe heatwave conditions are expected in districts including Adilabad, Kumaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagtial and Rajanna Sircilla.
The IMD has issued heavy rain alerts for Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Coimbatore and Nilgiris on May 18.
Yellow Alerts remain in force for districts including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod.
IMD Weather Update: Mercury To Rise 5°C Amid North India Heatwave; Rain, Storm Alert In 17 States
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Last Updated: May 18, 2026, 09:46 IST
IMD Alert: From blistering 45°C heatwaves in the north to violent thunderstorms and torrential rain in the south and northeast, India is heading into a week of weather extremes
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Weather News: North India faces severe heatwaves with temperatures nearing 45°C, while IMD warns of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds across 17 states, including the northeast, south, and central regions, from May 18.
IMD Weather Forecast: Several parts of North India, including Delhi, are set to face scorching conditions over the coming days as temperatures are expected to climb by 3°C to 5°C. States such as Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana are likely to bear the brunt of the intense heatwave.
At the same time, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued multiple alerts for heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds across 17 states beginning May 18, as reported by Navbharat Times. Regions including Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha are expected to witness moderate rainfall, along with hailstorms and gusty winds.
Northeast States Under Thunderstorm Alert
The IMD has forecast rain accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms in the northeastern states, including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura, on May 18. Wind speeds may reach up to 60 kmph during the storms.
Similar weather conditions are likely in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and several parts of West Bengal. The IMD has also warned of very heavy rainfall and powerful gusty winds over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on May 18.
Severe thunderstorms are likely in Jharkhand on May 19 and 20, while light to moderate rain and strong winds are expected over Jammu and Kashmir on May 19 and 20. Rain and thunderstorm activity is also likely over parts of Maharashtra and the Marathwada region.
Delhi-NCR May Witness Stormy Conditions
Delhi is expected to swelter under a maximum temperature of 43°C, while the minimum temperature is likely to hover around 31°C. The weather department has predicted partly cloudy skies over Delhi on May 18, with chances of light drizzle and thunderstorms. Strong winds may accompany the storm activity, prompting authorities to advise residents to remain cautious.
Weather conditions are also expected to worsen across the NCR region through the day.
Uttar Pradesh Faces Heatwave Conditions
Parts of Uttar Pradesh are likely to experience heatwave conditions over the next 24 hours. Cities including Prayagraj, Ghazipur, Orai and Agra may record above-normal daytime temperatures. Lucknow is likely to see the mercury soar to 43°C during the day, while the minimum temperature may settle around 29°C.
Night temperatures are also expected to remain unusually high in Etawah and Meerut.
Bihar On Alert For Heavy Rain And Thunderstorms
Heavy rain and thunderstorm warnings have been issued for districts including Bhagalpur, Purnia, Saharsa, Supaul, Katihar, Araria, Munger, Khagaria, Darbhanga and Madhubani.
In Patna, the maximum temperature is expected to touch 40°C, while the minimum may remain around 28°C.
Rajasthan To Sizzle As Temperatures Near 45°C
Dry weather is likely to dominate most parts of Rajasthan between May 18 and 22. Daytime temperatures may rise by 2°C to 3°C, with border districts in western Rajasthan likely to see temperatures touching 44°C to 45°C once again. Jaipur is expected to record a maximum temperature of 43°C and a minimum temperature of 31°C.
Heatwave conditions may prevail in several pockets, while surface winds between 20 and 30 kmph are also expected in western and northern areas during the period.
Chhattisgarh Braces For Sudden Weather Shift
A sharp change in weather is expected across Chhattisgarh on May 18 and 19, bringing thunderstorms, torrential rain and strong winds.
Several districts, including Raipur, may witness heavy downpours capable of uprooting trees. Cloudy skies and intermittent rain are expected to continue through the period.
Jharkhand Likely To Witness Prolonged Rain Spell
Jharkhand is expected to receive light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds of 40–50 kmph between May 18 and 23.
Most parts of the state are likely to receive rainfall, except districts such as Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Chatra, Koderma and Hazaribagh.
The IMD has warned of lightning, thunderstorms and gusty winds across the state on May 21, with widespread rain expected to continue till May 23.
Uttarakhand Under Heavy Rain And Wind Warning
Heavy rain and strong wind alerts have been issued for Nainital, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar, Pauri Garhwal, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Almora and Udham Singh Nagar.
Winds may gust between 60 and 70 kmph. In Dehradun, temperatures are expected to range between 38°C and 26°C.
Thunderstorms Likely Across Southern West Bengal
Southern districts of West Bengal are expected to witness thunderstorms and light rain. Kolkata is likely to record a maximum temperature of 34°C along with thundershowers and winds of 30-40 kmph.
Similar conditions are forecast in Howrah, Hooghly, Bankura, Jhargram and East and West Medinipur districts. Stronger winds of up to 50 kmph are possible in districts including Nadia, Murshidabad, Birbhum and Purulia.
Himachal Pradesh To Receive Light Rain
Light rainfall has been forecast for Shimla, Kangra, Solan, Sirmaur, Una, Kinnaur and Chamba, accompanied by winds of 30–40 kmph.
In Manali, temperatures are expected to range from 17°C to 4°C.
Telangana Heatwave Warning Intensifies
A seven-day heatwave alert has been issued across parts of Telangana between May 18 and 24.
According to the Hyderabad Meteorological Centre, temperatures may rise by 2°C to 3°C over the next three days, with some districts likely to cross 45°C between May 19 and 24.
Severe heatwave conditions are expected in districts including Adilabad, Kumaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagtial and Rajanna Sircilla.
Odisha Temperatures To Rise Further
Maximum temperatures in Odisha are expected to rise by 2°C to 3°C over the next four days.
Thunderstorm and drizzle warnings have also been issued for districts including Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Gajapati and Ganjam.
Tamil Nadu Faces Heavy Rain And Coastal Winds
Five districts in Tamil Nadu are expected to receive heavy rainfall till May 22.
The IMD has issued heavy rain alerts for Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Coimbatore and Nilgiris on May 18.
Rain is also likely in Karur, Tiruchirapalli and Sivaganga. Wind speeds may touch 40 kmph during rainfall activity, while coastal regions including the Gulf of Mannar and Kanyakumari Sea may witness winds of up to 60 kmph.
Kerala On Orange Alert Amid Heavy Rain
Amid continuing heavy rainfall across Kerala, the IMD has issued an Orange Alert for Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha.
Yellow Alerts remain in force for districts including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has urged residents in flood-prone and landslide-prone areas to remain alert and shift to safer locations if required. People have also been advised to avoid rivers, water bodies, hilly regions and unnecessary travel.
Major Cities Temperature Forecast For May 18
City Maximum Temperature Minimum Temperature Delhi 43°C 31°C Mumbai 33°C 30°C Chennai 35°C 30°C Kolkata 38°C 29°C Lucknow 43°C 29°C Patna 40°C 28°C Ranchi 37°C 27°C Bhopal 42°C 30°C Jaipur 43°C 31°C Shimla 32°C 21°C Nainital 31°C 30°C
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First Published: May 18, 2026, 08:18 IST
News cities new-delhi-news IMD Weather Update: Mercury To Rise 5°C Amid North India Heatwave; Rain, Storm Alert In 17 States
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