Ahmedabad: The city remained under severe heat stress on Friday, with daytime temperatures above 43-degree mark for the second straight day. The IMD has forecast a further rise in temperatures across Gujarat, warning that heatwave conditions are likely to spread to more districts from Sunday onward. Several regions in Saurashtra and Kutch are already expected to face heatwave conditions this weekend. Central Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, may follow from Monday.The maximum temperature in the city remained high at 43.1℃, 1.6 degrees higher than normal on Friday. According to the India meteorological department (IMD), Ahmedabad is likely to continue experiencing similar conditions on Saturday, with temperatures expected to stay in the same range before rising further over the coming days.At 27.7°C, the city’s minimum temperature was 1 degree above normal. Meteorologists said Gujarat is currently experiencing westerly to northwesterly wind patterns, contributing to persistent heat across several regions of the state.In its latest forecast, the IMD stated that maximum temperatures across Gujarat are likely to rise gradually by another 2 to 3 degrees celsius over the next four days, with no major relief expected immediately after that. “Maximum temperatures are very likely to remain above 40°C in several pockets of the state during the next seven days,” the forecast stated.Heatwave conditions are expected to intensify across multiple districts over the weekend.On Saturday, parts of Surendranagar, Rajkot, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Kutch are likely to experience heatwave conditions. The warning zone is expected to widen further on Sunday, covering Vadodara, Banaskantha, Patan, Surat, Rajkot, Porbandar, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gir Somnath and Kutch.From Monday onward, parts of central Gujarat, including Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, are also likely to experience heatwave conditions, according to the IMD forecast.Surendranagar recorded the highest maximum temperature in the state on Friday at 44.3°C. Ahmedabad followed at 43.1°C, while Kandla recorded 43°C, Rajkot 42.8°C and Amreli 42.7°C.
