Karwar records India’s highest maximum temperature between March 2 and 8

Karwar in coastal Karnataka recorded the highest maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius last week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said here on Thursday alerting the possibility of a heatwave in coastal Karnataka continuing on Friday.

“The highest maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius had been recorded at Karwar (Coastal Karnataka) on March 4 and the lowest minimum temperature of 9.7 degrees Celsius had been recorded at Aurangabad (Marathwada) on March 8 over the plains of the country during the week,” IMD said in a statement on current weather status and extended range forecast.

The week IMD refers to is between March 2 and 8 during which India overall recorded a 70% rainfall deficiency. The highest shortfall of 97% was recorded in the southern peninsula.

"Heat wave conditions are very likely to occur at isolated places over south Konkan, Goa and Coastal Karnataka on March 10. No significant heat wave conditions are likely over the rest of the country,” it added.

The weather agency said there would be back-to-back western disturbances – storms that originate in the Mediterranean and travel across Asia - because of which isolated rainfall might happen in some places in the coming days.

The maximum temperatures that remain above normal by 4-6 degrees Celsius over many parts of Jammu division, coastal Karnataka and parts of Goa between March 9-15, will drop below normal between March 16 and 22.