Jharkhand is experiencing a heat wave - the first one this year - with maximum temperatures staying four to five notches above normal at several places in north-western, central and southern Jharkhand.

According to the IMD centre in Ranchi, Jamshedpur was the warmest place in the state with an oppressive 42.9°C. Tuesday's maximum reading in Jamshedpur was five notches above normal. Daltonganj, the Palamau headquarters, recorded 42.2 °C, six notches above normal.

"A heatwave condition is prevailing in several places including Palamau, Garhwa, Chatra, Jamshedpur and Ranchi. Several places in South eastern and north western Jharkhand also experienced Loo, the hot and dry wind which blows in the plains during peak summer. The situation is expected to remain the same for the next 48 hours or so, " said Abhishek Anand, deputy director of Ranchi Met Centre.

Ruling out possibility of rain, he said, several places would experience strong dry gusty wind, blowing at a speed of 30kmph to 40 kmph during the next two days.

Strong winds swept across steel city on Tuesday afternoon. Picture by Bhola Prasad

In Met parlance, a heat wave condition is declared when the maximum temperature climbs five notches above the average normal.

The maximum reading in Ranchi and its adjoining areas in central Jharkhand was close to 40 °C on Tuesday. Tuesday's maximum reading in Ranchi was five notches above normal.

Met statistics revealed that Chaibasa in West Singhbhum, Bokaro, Deoghar, Dhanbad, Ramgarh and several other places recorded an oppressive 40°C prompting the weather office to declare a heat wave in Jharkhand on Tuesday.

Notably, weathermen had earlier predicted a severe summer. Met data revealed that heat wave made an early debut this summer. Last year ( 2020 ), heat wave conditionsset in in the second week of May.

A weather bulletin issued by Ranchi Met Centre said dry weather condition is expected to prevail in Jharkhand during the next three days. Day temperature would hover above normal by 4-5°C in the districts of Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, Latehar, Gumla, Simdega, Lohardaga, Khunti and Ranchi and Kolhan region, said the Met bulletin.

Clay pitchers up for sale at Baradwari in Jamshedpur on Tuesday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

In Jamshedpur, Ranchi and other places people preferred to stay indoors due to the heat wave condition.

"Fans were of no use. We had to switch on our ACs through the day as the heat was unbearable. If such is the condition we are facing now what will happen during peak summer? " said a Sunita Sinha, a homemaker at Bistupur in Jamshedpur.