Heatwave engulfs central, north-western India, maximum temperatures soar past 40 degrees

Mercury soaring beyond 40 degrees Celsius in March seems to be the new normal as heatwaves gripped many parts of central and north-western India this summer.

Just as the country entered the second week of March, maximum temperatures across central India especially parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and adjoining areas of Madhya Pradesh and Telangana saw temperatures soaring well above 40°C. Mumbai reeled under heatwave conditions for five consecutive days from March 13 to 17. In fact, a heatwave has once again returned to the maximum city as maximum temperatures reached 38.2°C on March 23. The normal average for Mumbai for the month of March is 32.8°C.

Hilly states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand also bore the brunt of heat where earlier snowfall was seen during March.

Also read: 'Below normal' max temperatures likely in northern plains from March to May: IMD

“The heatwave has been reeling parts of India which is rather unprecedented in the month of March. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report placed high confidence that hot extremes climate including heatwaves have intensified in the past couple of decades affecting economically and socially marginalised residents,” Dr Anjal Prakash, Research Director & Adjunct Professor, Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business, said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) declares heatwaves in plains, coastal areas and hilly regions when the maximum temperatures are above 40°C, 37°C and 30°C, respectively and above the normal average by 4-5 degrees. It is termed a 'severe heatwave' if the temperature is above 5-6 degrees, according to a note by Climate Trends.

"Absence of any weather system and presence of any anticyclone over Rajasthan and adjoining Pakistan had been pushing hit winds across North and Central India. March is going to end on a hotter note with no respite till the beginning of April. Light winds and dry weather will once again increase the temperatures over Northwest India leading to heatwave conditions. Gradually, the heatwave will engulf parts of north Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Vidarbha as well. Pre-monsoon activities will only commence around mid-April across Northwest India, which may give some relief from intense hot weather conditions,” said Mahesh Palawat, AVP, Meteorology and Climate Change, Skymet Weather.

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