Brace for intense heatwave this summer, says weather dept

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of intense heat across most parts of India from April to June this year, with above-normal temperatures and an increased number of heatwave days expected, particularly in northern, central and eastern regions.

While the country typically records five to seven heatwave days during this period, this year could see two to four additional days, with some areas experiencing nearly double the usual number.

IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra stated that most of India, except isolated pockets in the extreme northwest and northeast, will experience above-normal maximum and minimum temperatures. He also clarified that El Niño conditions were not expected during the upcoming monsoon season, but the summer months (April to June) would be hotter than usual. States likely to face above-normal heatwave days include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and northern Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

In April, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and northern Karnataka are expected to see particularly high heatwave activity. A heatwave is declared when temperatures reach at least 40°C in the plains or exceed the normal by 5°C.

Despite the scorching forecast, April rainfall is expected to be near normal, averaging around 39.2 mm. Meanwhile, electricity demand is projected to surge by 9-10 per cent during the summer months, following last year’s peak demand of 250 GW on May 30, which exceeded projections by 6.3 per cent.