India Braces for Unprecedented Heatwave: What to Expect This Summer

Heatwave Forecast for India

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning indicating that a higher-than-usual number of heatwave days are anticipated across various regions of the country from March through May.

Regions affected include West Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, southern and eastern Maharashtra, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of northern Karnataka and northern Tamil Nadu.

In March, however, many areas in India are expected to experience normal to below-normal maximum temperatures, with the exception of the northeast, east, and certain regions of the Western Himalayan area, as well as central and peninsular India.

The IMD attributes this to the likelihood of average rainfall across India being normal during March.

Notably, February saw the lowest rainfall levels in India since 2001, according to the IMD.

Additionally, no cold wave conditions were reported throughout the country in February.