Northwest India may see more intense heatwaves in April: Meteorological Department

New Delhi: Northwest India and adjoining parts of Central India, including east Rajasthan, south Haryana-Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, are expected to see more intense and frequent heatwave conditions this month after recording the hottest March in 122 years.

"Heat wave spell likely to continue over Northwest and Central India during next five days," Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.

The ongoing heat wave spell started mainly over west Rajasthan and adjoining areas of Gujarat and west Madhya Pradesh from March 27, the weather office said in a statement. It further extended to east Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh, south Haryana, Delhi and Southern parts of Uttar Pradesh by March 29.

Past heat wave data during 2017-2021 (five years) for the month of April shows this type of longer spell is not unusual, it added.

Last month, the average maximum temperature in Northwest India region stood at 30.73 degrees Celsius. That surpassed the previous record for March of 30.67 degrees Celsius in 2004 in the period between 1901 and 2022.