Most parts of the country — Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, coastal Andhra, some parts of West Bengal, and Bihar — will receive rainfall owing to the progress of the southwest monsoon from June 20.

A fresh western disturbance was expected over parts of northwest India on Thursday which could bring isolated rainfall over the region on the weekend.

On Friday, weather stations recorded alarming highs, with Najafgarh in west Delhi reaching a staggering 47.4 degrees Celsius, the hottest in the country so far this year.

A 'red alert' for cold wave conditions on January 24 and an 'orange alert' from January 25 to 27 have been issued for Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Uttar Pradesh.