As India remains under a nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a stifling heat wave, the first of the season for the country, is set to unfold.

The mercury is on the rise across India, as the nation braces for its first heat wave of 2020 while it remains under a lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nationwide lockdown in India, known as the worlds biggest, was extended until May 3 on Tuesday.

A northward shift in the jet stream will allow the storm track to remain well to the north. This will allow spring sunshine to continue this week across northern and central India, as well as into parts of Pakistan.

“Reaching a stretch of several days at or above 38 C (100 F) this early in the month is not unheard of, but it’s a bit ahead of schedule,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk.

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The average high temperature in New Delhi is around 35 C (95 F) during the middle of April, but by the end of the month, temperatures typically average near 38 C (100 F).

Afternoon temperatures climbed well above 38 C (100 F) in parts of the country on Sunday. Hoshangabad, New Kandla and Surendranagar reported high temperatures of 44 C (111 F).

Forecasters say during the upcoming stretch of hot weather this week, high temperatures near 38 C (100 F) or above can be expected in much of the country. However, there will be some periods of relief.

Without many storms to clear the air, pollution levels will increase, worsening the air quality at times. However, the amount of pollution in India, and many other places around the world, has been lessened as communities go on lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Because this stretch of heat is coming in mid-April, temperatures will still be able to fall to more comfortable levels at night and the humidity will remain relatively low,” said Houk.

The comfortable weather overnight will result in temperatures settling into the middle 20s C (mid- to upper 70s F).

“Similarly to last year, the late-spring warmup is starting earlier than normal across parts of India, including New Delhi,” added Houk.

In 2019, the month of April ended with highs soaring well into the 40s C (near 110 F) across northern and central India. New Delhi ended the month with the average temperature about 3 C (5 F) above normal.

Elsewhere across the country, isolated thunderstorms are expected to develop, mostly during the afternoon hours, across northeastern India and into Bangladesh. This will help to bring some relief from the heat, though with increased moisture levels from the Bay of Bengal, it will feel more humid.

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