PUNE: April is likely to be a scorcher with days and nights likely to be much hotter than last month in parts of India, a temperature outlook by IMD has indicated.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) outlook stated that above-normal maximum temperatures were likely in the month over most parts of northwest India, central India and some parts of the northeast. Normal to above-normal night temperatures were also likely over most parts of northwest, central and northeast India in April.
The outlook said there was over 70% probability that a large portion of Maharashtra, including Pune but barring extreme southern parts of the state, might experience above-normal day temperatures.
IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told TOI, “In March, some locations in India recorded day temperatures 7-8 degrees above normal. But it is difficult to say whether or not some stations will record similar above-normal trends in April.”
Such anomalies, however, could not be ruled out in April, he added. “There could be such high anomalies on certain occasions in April. On the whole, there is a 65% probability that day temperatures could be higher than normal in parts of northwest and central India in April. Thus, instances of heat wave could be more this April in comparison to the last couple of Aprils and March 2022.”
KS Hosalikar, head of Climate Research and Services, IMD, Pune, told TOI, “The probability of above-normal maximum temperature is more than 70-75% in most of the places in Maharashtra, including parts of Konkan, north Madhya Maharashtra, north Marathwada and Vidarbha.”
Since parts of India experienced above-normal temperatures in March and higher than-normals are also expected in April, it could be inferred that April might be more of a scorcher than March.
