After early heat waves, there is going to be respite in some regions of the country owing to thunderstorms and convective rainfall. Districts in Marathwada and Vidarbha are likely to see thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds. However, the rain spells will not lead to a major drop in temperatures in these regions. Vidarbha has been experiencing an intense spell of heat and most cities in the region recorded temperature which was between 44 and 45 degree Celsius.

In the hills too, under the influence of western disturbance weather system, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will receive rainfall.

"Above normal temperatures are likely over western Himalayan region, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and east coast of India but there will be below normal temperatures over the rest of the country. Development of heat waves are less likely over any region of the country in the coming week," IMD said. It added, "The seasonal north-south trough and incursion of moisture from Bay of Bengal is likely and it will cause isolated rain and thundershowers over Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, Marathwada, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh."

In northern India, duststorms and thunderstorms are likely over the weekend in Rajasthan, Punjab, south Haryana, Delhi and West Uttar Pradesh and there will be gusty winds with their speed reaching up to 50 kmph.

The pre-monsoon convective activity has been predicted across the Gangetic plains belt of Bihar, in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and most northeastern states in the coming week.

"There has been a trough spanning eastwards from Rajasthan and combined with the heat and moisture incursion from Bay of Bengal and sometimes from the Arabian Sea side, there is a build up of thunderstorms. If the moisture levels are low then the hot air results in dust storms," a senior IMD scientist said.