IMD predicts another heatwave in north India by April 3

New Delhi, Apr 01: Several parts in north India are seen reeling under a heatwave with the mercury touching 40 degrees Celsius-mark, especially in Rajasthan. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted another heatwave over the plains by April 3.

The IMD has already warned that maximum temperatures in most parts of the country will be above normal between April and June. On Tuesday, it sounded a heatwave alert for parts of Telangana for the next three days.

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On Monday, New Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 40.1 degree Celsius, the highest temperature record in March in last 76 years.

In fact, it can be seen that March was the warmest in the last 11 years. Kuldeep Shrivastava, Regional Head of IMD Delhi, said that the mean maximum temperature (MMT) for Delhi for March is 33.1 degree Celsius which is 3.5 degree Celsius above normal.

The highest MMT of 34.1 degree Celsius was observed in March, 2010 according to IMD data.

Talking about the situation in plains, IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohaptra said there was pressure variation between the area stretching from the Gujarat coast to Haryana. In addition to this, there was transfer of heat from Rajasthan which was already reeling under the heatwave. "This led to the heating of plains," he said.

Dust raising strong surface winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph) are very likely to prevail over Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, north Madhya Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Gangetic West Bengal during March 31 to April 1, the IMD said.