Dry Days Ahead: Yellow Alert Issued for Heat in Bihar

Patna: Bihar is expected to experience a significant shift in weather conditions starting today, as dry and hot westerly winds replace the prevailing easterlies across the state. The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Patna Centre has forecast a gradual rise in maximum temperatures, potentially troubling residents with increasing heat over the next 72 hours.

According to the Met Centre, a cyclonic circulation active over Central India and adjoining Odisha has triggered the influx of hot and dry winds in most regions of Bihar. As a result, the state is set for a five to eight degree Celsius increase in daytime temperatures during this period.

Patna and nearby areas will see partly cloudy skies, but the dry conditions and rising mercury are expected to increase discomfort levels. The maximum temperature is forecast to breach 40°C in many districts between May 10 and May 16, making it hotter than seasonal norms. Dehri-on-Sone recorded the highest temperature in the state at 38.8°C, highlighting the onset of intense heat.

In response to the forecast, the IMD has issued a yellow alert for hot and dry weather across northwest, north-central, southwest, and southeast Bihar between May 9 and May 13. Residents are advised to take precautions against heat-related illnesses.

While most parts remained dry, light rainfall was reported in some areas in the past 24 hours. Bihar Sharif recorded 7.0 mm of rainfall, providing brief relief amid otherwise dry conditions.