The mercury in Delhi may soar well above 40 degrees Celsius over the next week, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting a heatwave for the capital.The minimum temperature is also expected to be above normal at most places over Delhi. (HT Photo/ Vipin Kumar)According to the met department, a prolonged spell of heatwave is expected starting Monday, with the maximum temperature expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius.“The maximum and minimum temperatures over Delhi are likely to be in the range of 43°C to 45°C and 25°C to 27°C, respectively,” a press release by the IMD said in its forecast for Monday (May 18).The weather department, however, did not immediately issue a colour-coded alert. It predicted strong surface winds, with speeds reaching 20-30 kmph occasionally gusting to 40 kmph during the day.Also Read | IMD to revamp heatwave alerts, introduce percentile-based thresholds for first timeMaximum temperatures to remain between 43 to 45 degrees Celsius rangeThe weather department, in its press release, said that the maximum temperatures in Delhi would remain between the 43 and 45 degrees Celsius range from May 18 to May 20.Meanwhile, the minimum temperature is also expected to be above normal at most places over Delhi for this duration. “Maximum temperatures over Delhi are expected to remain above normal during the coming days, and heatwave conditions are likely to develop from May 18,” an IMD official said, according to an earlier HT report.Delhi had, on Saturday, recorded a maximum temperature of 40.8°C, just about 0.4°C above the normal, and a minimum temperature of 24.8°C, 1.7°C below the normal. On Sunday too, the maximum temperature went above 40 degrees Celsius.Also Read | Summer heat after sunset may still be dangerous: Doctor warns about nighttime heatwave risksHeatwave alert for northwestern, central IndiaMeanwhile, the IMD has forecast heatwave conditions across several northern states and Union territories, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi. Temperatures across the country are expected to rise gradually by 3-5°C until May 20.In regards to the reason for this rise in temperature, Mahesh Palawat, president of Skymet weather, said, “The easterlies have now changed to northwesterly winds coming from central Pakistan and Rajasthan that are dry and hot. It will naturally lead to increasing temperature over the next few days, with high chances of heatwave conditions.”The weather department has predicted heatwave conditions over isolated parts of Rajasthan between May 17 and May 23, and in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi from May 18 to May 23. Severe heatwave conditions will prevail over isolated parts of Uttar Pradesh between May 19 and May 23.“Heat wave conditions in isolated pockets likely to prevail over Telangana during 17th -21st May,” IMD stated in its press release, while also forecasting similar conditions for Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh.