50% more heatwaves, water crisis this summer in Vidarbha: RMC

Nagpur: The coming summer is going to be a scorcher for Vidarbha, Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has warned. The RMC has predicted 50% more heatwaves from March to May in the Vidarbha region. These increased heatwaves will have multiple adverse impacts, the most worrying being high water evaporation leading to water shortage.
Meanwhile, the maximum temperature is likely to fall by a couple of degrees in the next two days after reaching 37.6 degrees on Tuesday. The fall in temperature is due to the passage of western disturbances and the re-entry of northerly winds.
Praveen Kumar, forecasting in-charge at RMC Nagpur, said an average of 5 to 7 heatwave days are expected during the March to May period. "This year, the heatwave days are likely to go up to 9 to 10. This will impact agriculture and water reservoirs in a big way," he said. Kumar said the maximum temperatures are expected to be above normal during the summer season. "This will increase evaporation and may trigger a water crisis," he said.
This February was the warmest in the last 124 years of record-keeping by the IMD. The minimum temperatures were nearly 2 degrees Celsius above normal. The IMD has forecast above-normal temperatures during the summer season.
Kumar said Vidarbha records an average of 1-2 days of heatwaves during March when the mercury touches 40 degrees Celsius or beyond. "West Vidarbha districts like Washim, Akola, and Yavatmal would see two to three days of heatwave towards March-end," he said.
Talking about overall impacts, Kumar said agricultural fields are going to need more water, discomfort to people will increase, and the risk of morbidity and mortality is higher now. "Power requirements too will go up as people will need cooling appliances for longer durations," he said.
Kumar added that warm nights are expected, which will increase minimum temperatures. "This is likely to trigger summer disease outbreaks," he said.
Backing his claim for water shortage, Kumar said rainfall would be below normal in the March to May phase. "Unseasonal rains bring down the temperature and keep moisture in the soil. But the number of rainy days is expected to be less," he said.
Kumar said the Indian Ocean Dipole and El Nino Southern Oscillation are in a neutral phase, which is increasing the temperature. He added that carbon emissions, fossil fuels, deforestation, concrete structures, and urban heat islands are all contributing factors.