During the present heatwave spell, Maharashtra reported the country’s highest maximum temperatures on four out of the past eight days. (Express photo by Narendra Vaskar)Maharashtra and Rajasthan seem to be facing the maximum heat from the continuing heatwave conditions this summer. Both states have come under the influence of three of the four heatwaves to have affected the country since March.
The maximum temperatures particularly over Vidarbha and west Rajasthan in these states have remained over 44 degrees Celsius for several days at a stretch, said officials of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), making these states among the world’s hottest areas in this year’s summer season. Chandrapur, Brahmapuri, Akola, Jalgaon, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner have so far reported record-breaking temperatures for April.
For instance, during the present heatwave spell, Maharashtra reported the country’s highest maximum temperatures on four out of the past eight days. These were (in degrees Celsius)–Chandrapur (45.4 on April 21), Wardha (45 on April 25) and Jalgaon (45.6 and 44 on April 28 and 23 respectively). For two days, the country’s hottest locations shifted to Barmer in west Rajasthan (44 and 45.1 on April 24 and 26 respectively). Once each, the warmest locations were recorded at Fatehgarh in east Uttar Pradesh (43.8 on April 22) and Rajgarh in west Madhya Pradesh (45.6 on April 27).
“The country has largely been devoid of any favourable weather systems that could lead to rainfall and bring the soaring temperatures down. Hot and dry northerly winds from the heatwave zones of north India have been penetrating Maharashtra, especially Vidarbha and north Madhya Maharashtra regions, where very high above-normal day temperatures are being recorded,” a senior official from the Regional Meteorological Centre, Mumbai, said on Friday.
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Last week India’s rainfall deficit rose to minus 61 per cent, mainly driven by the lack of rain over northwest India (minus 100 per cent) and central India (minus 85 per cent).
Dust storms could blow over Punjab and Rajasthan on Saturday whereas hailstorms could occur over Uttarakhand till May 2.
Meanwhile, the IMD has issued an “orange” alert (which means “be prepared”) for West Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as they brace for severe heatwave conditions that are likely to prevail till May 2. The heatwave conditions will continue over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand interior Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Telangana till May 3.
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