Dharamshala, May 2 -- Himachal Pradesh is likely to witness above-normal maximum temperatures in May with increased likelihood of heatwave days, according to the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) outlook for the month. According to the outlook for May issued by IMD's Shimla office, the maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be above normal over most parts of the state. "Above normal rainfall is also likely over many parts of plains and adjoining mid hills and near normal over rest of the state," said IMD officials. Shimla and its adjoining tourist destinations Kufri and Chharabra were lashed by squall accompanied by sharp rain on Thursday, reducing visibility to a few metres and forcing people to rush indoors, the local IMD office said. The sky was overcast through the day as strong winds swept the area before a squall accompanied lighting hit the region in the evening, the weather office said. The IMD station has issued an orange alert of light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorm, lightning, hailstorm and gusty winds with a speed of up to 30-40 kmph in Shimla and up to 40-50 kmph at isolated places over Una, Bilaspur, Shimla, Solan, Mandi, Sirmaur and Chamba districts for the next 12 hours till Friday morning....