Summer temperatures in NorthWest, Central and parts of NorthEast India are likely to be higher than normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This implies a continuing trend of heatwaves and elevated temperatures that have been characteristic of much of March in north and west India.
“During April, normal to above normal minimum temperatures are likely over most parts of NorthWest, Central and NorthEast India. Normal to below normal minimum temperatures are likely over the south peninsular India, eastern parts of central India and extreme southern part of NorthEast India,” the agency said in a statement on Thursday.
Temperatures in March were higher than normal, particularly in Gujarat, Rajasthan and several parts of Northern India. Multiple heatwaves were reported this month.
The maximum temperatures were above normal by 4-7⁰C at many places over Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh and in some parts over Madhya Pradesh and at isolated places over Uttarakhand, East Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Gujarat and madhya Maharashtra.
‘Heatwave’ to ‘severe heatwave’ conditions were observed in most parts of Rajasthan, Delhi, isolated pockets of South Haryana.
There were also scorching temperatures reported out of Himachal Pradesh, East Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, parts of Jammu and West Uttar Pradesh.
A region is considered to be under the grip of a heatwave if the maximum temperature reaches at least 40°C or more for plains and at least 30°C or more for hilly regions. When the maximum temperature is 4.5-6° above average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) declares a heatwave. A severe heatwave is declared when the recorded maximum temperature of a locality departure from normal is over 6.4°C.
Also, if the area records over 45° and 47° C on any given day, then the IMD declares it to be a ‘heatwave’ and ‘severe heatwave.’
M. Mohapatra, Director General, IMD said that the summers in 2021 were hotter than last year and this was due to the absence of rains. Below normal pre-monsoon rains were reported in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and NorthWest India. “Several parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra reported temperatures exceeding over 6-7 degrees of the normal. There were no Western Disturbances (rain bearing systems from West Asia) and warm winds are blowing from Pakistan into the Indo-Gangetic plains” He added that temperatures would reduce marginally over the next few days but heatwave like conditions are expected to continue.
