Hottest April in Northwest, central India in 122 years: IMD

New Delhi, April 30

Northwestern and northern states should draft plans to mitigate the impact of a prolonged summer on agriculture, human and animal health, transport and power sectors, the chief of India’s weather department said on Saturday, projecting heatwave conditions for the region, including Punjab and Haryana, for May.

35.9 °C Average maximum temperature over northwest in April 2022

35.05 °C Average temperature observed pan-India in April, fourth highest since 1900

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Sweating it out

• The IMD says the number of heatwave and severe heatwave cases has risen from 25 in March 2010 to 93 in March 2022
• While there were 404 heatwave cases in April 2010, April 2022 saw 146 cases

Noting that the average maximum temperature over northwest and central India in April 2022 was the highest with 35.9 degrees Celsius and 37.78 degrees, respectively, in the last 122 years, Indian Meteorological Department Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra today said climatologically speaking, temperatures in parts of Rajasthan could soar beyond 50 °C in May.

The all-India temperatures — maximum and mean — recorded in April 2022 are the fourth highest with 35.05 degree Celsius since 1900, the weather department said in its monthly outlook today for the temperature and rainfall during May 2022.

The IMD forecast came as heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were observed over some parts of Delhi and isolated pockets over Gurgaon, Chandigarh and Himachal.

Asked what impact the current dry spell would have on agriculture, Mohapatra said, “Considering heatwave conditions over northwest and central India have prevailed through March and April and are projected to continue through May, the impact on agriculture will be significant. State governments should take all precautionary measures in respect of farming, animal and human health, power, transport and other sectors.”

Attributing acute heat to weak western disturbances, the IMD in its monthly forecast for May said, “Above normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of west, central and northwest India and northern parts of northeast India; above normal minimum temperatures are expected over most parts of northwest, central, east and northeast India; rainfall averaged over the country as a whole during May 2022 is most likely to be above normal.”

In March, northwest India recorded a deficit in rainfall of around 89 per cent, while the deficit was nearly 83 per cent in April, mainly on account of feeble and dry western disturbances, Mohapatra said.

The IMD chief said north India saw six western disturbances, but they were mostly feeble and moved across the higher parts of the Himalayas.

The weather department said today maximum temperature ranging 45 to 47 degree was recorded in most parts of west Rajasthan, many parts of Vidarbha and some parts of Haryana and Delhi.