The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a widespread shift in weather conditions across the country, with thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and gusty winds expected to bring partial relief from an ongoing heatwave in several regions, officials said on Tuesday.

IMD scientist Akhil Srivastava said northern India, which has been reeling under nearly two weeks of intense heat, is likely to see a noticeable drop in temperatures over the next few days. Thunderstorm activity is expected over Punjab and Haryana, with maximum temperatures likely to fall by 2–4 degrees Celsius due to changing weather patterns.

He said a western disturbance located around 66° East longitude is driving the new system, leading to thunderstorm development over the Western Himalayan region and nearby plains. Alerts have been issued for Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where thunderstorms and hailstorms are likely in isolated areas.

Punjab and Haryana may also experience strong thunderstorms with wind speeds reaching up to 60 km/h, offering temporary relief from prolonged heat conditions.

In eastern India, the IMD has placed Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal under an orange alert. The region is expected to witness severe thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds and a possibility of hail, with wind speeds again touching 60 km/h in some areas.

The northeastern states are expected to receive heavy rainfall over the coming week. A red alert has been issued for Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, where very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall could trigger local flooding and disruptions.

Meanwhile, heatwave conditions are expected to continue briefly in parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Marathwada before gradually weakening as weather systems shift.

In the national capital region, Delhi is likely to see a break from extreme heat as light rainfall and gusty winds of up to 50 km/h bring down temperatures. Maximum temperatures are expected to hover around 38°C in the coming days.

Separately, the Union Health Ministry has stepped up heatwave preparedness across states and Union Territories. In an advisory issued on Monday, authorities have been directed to activate heat stroke management units, ensure ambulance readiness, strengthen real-time reporting systems for heat-related cases, and improve dissemination of early warnings through official channels.

Officials have urged states to remain on alert as rapidly changing weather conditions continue to impact multiple regions simultaneously.

With ANI inputs