IMD forecasts above-normal heatwave days across India from March to May

India is likely to witness an above-normal number of heatwave days across large parts of the country between March and May, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its monthly outlook released on Saturday.

According to the forecast, regions expected to experience more frequent heatwave conditions include West Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, southern and eastern Maharashtra, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, as well as parts of northern Karnataka and northern Tamil Nadu.

For March, however, the IMD indicated that maximum temperatures are likely to remain normal to below normal across many parts of the country. Exceptions may include the north-eastern states, parts of eastern India, sections of the Western Himalayan region, and areas of central and peninsular India where temperatures could trend higher.

The weather office attributed the relatively moderate March outlook to the likelihood of normal rainfall averaged across the country during the month.

The IMD also noted that nationwide rainfall in February was the lowest recorded since 2001. Despite the dry conditions, no cold wave was reported anywhere in the country during the month.

The seasonal forecast comes amid growing concerns over extreme weather patterns, with heatwaves in recent years having placed pressure on agriculture, water resources and public health systems in several states.

With PTI inputs