The IMD declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature over a location rises above 4.5 degrees Celsius above normal, and a severe heatwave is declared when the temperature departure is over 6 degrees Celsius from normal.(Representational Picture) More than half of India is reeling under heatwave conditions in one of the longest heatwave spells experienced in recent years. As per the latest forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), there will be no respite from severe heat at least for the next five days.
The IMD declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature over a location rises above 4.5 degrees Celsius above normal, and a severe heatwave is declared when the temperature departure is over 6 degrees Celsius from normal.
The present heatwave spell, which commenced on March 26, has been affecting Jammu, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar. Now the heatwave has penetrated into most areas of Maharashtra, northern Karnataka, eastern Telangana, and interior Odisha.
Over Jammu and Himachal Pradesh, the maximum temperatures were 6-10 degrees Celsius above normal whereas the day temperatures remained 4-6 degrees Celsius above normal over Madhya Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat’s Kutch-Saurashtra region. Vidarbha, in Maharashtra, and parts of Rajasthan have been consistently reporting maximum temperatures around 44 degrees Celsius since the start of this week. Maharashtra’s Akola has been the hottest city in the country for the past three days, consistently recording over 44 degrees Celsius.
“The maximum temperatures in northwest India will rise by 2 degrees during the next three days. Severe heatwave conditions will prevail over west Rajasthan and south Haryana and Delhi during the next five days,” the IMD said on Thursday.
Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, central Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha in Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and the Jammu division will continue to remain in the grip of the heatwave till April 12, IMD officials said.
Meanwhile, eastern parts of India have been hit by heavy to very heavy rainfall owing to the strong southwesterly winds bringing in moisture from the Bay of Bengal.
The 24-hour rainfall on Thursday, at Jalpaiguri (80mm) and Cooch Behar (110mm), in West Bengal was the highest since 2012. Many stations in Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim too reported heavy rainfall during the past two-three days.
“Rainfall activity will continue over Assam-Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal till April 11,” the officials said.
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