Amid an unusually high maximum temperatures recorded in large parts of west and northwest India, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave alert for the Konkan and Kutch regions, making it the season’s first and fairly early alert.
Usually, a heatwave alert in India begins in the month of March. With this, soaring temperatures of 37-39°C are expected in Kutch and Konkan regions. Winter is still on its way out, but such heatwave alerts indicate that India could skip the spring season altogether and directly enter into the summers.
Earlier, a report revealed that in about seven states — Punjab, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand — the maximum temperatures seen in recent days, surpassed those usually recorded in mid-March.
Going by this data, March will naturally be hotter than usual too, and hence, people in most parts of India should brace for a hotter summer.
According to Hindustan Times, Himalayan towns recorded temperatures 5-10°C higher than what is normal for this time of the year. At 14.4 degrees Celsius, the state capital of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, recorded the highest-ever minimum temperature on Saturday.
Delhi, on the other hand had a maximum of 31.5°C, and the day temperature is likely to remain at these levels for another three to four days, IMD said. The mercury has been inching up in the hills and across the North Indian belt over the last few days.
The mercury is rising in other parts of the state as well and there has been less precipitation or winter rain this year, resulting in a rise in daytime temperatures.
“There was less western disturbance this year and it was particularly weak at higher altitudes, resulting in deficient precipitation and an increase in temperatures in the state. There are many other reasons for the rising temperatures, one of which could be the change in the local weather patterns and changing climatic conditions" said Surender Paul, IMD Himachal Pradesh.
According to the weather department, the condition is particularly intense over Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch, where in many places maximum temperatures are over 8 degrees above normal.
After February 21, a cyclonic circulation is expected to form over Punjab and Haryana which will lead to a change in wind pattern from south-westerly to north-westerly. However, very high maximums may continue in western India if the anticyclone persists like last year.
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