Friday, May 17

IMD Predicts Heatwave To Continue Till May 3

Edited by Hiba Anvar
IMD Predicts Heatwave To Continue Till May 3

The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a forecast indicating that the heatwave which is currently persisting in the east and south peninsular region of India is expected to continue till May 3, Friday. 

The weather office has issued warnings to several states including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala and Gangetic West Bengal. They have issued a red alert for West Bengal and coastal Andhra Pradesh and an orange alert is issued for Bihar, Telangana, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Odisha.

A heatwave is declared when the temperature is more than 40 degrees Celsius and 4.5 degrees above normal. While extreme heatwave is announced when the temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius and 6.5 degrees above normal. 

Earlier in April, the southern peninsula is the driest region since 1901. The region experienced only 12.6mm rainfall in April which is the fifth lowest since 1901. 

However, the weather office stated that there is a possibility of fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over several northeastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and others. The anticipated rainfall is expected to be accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds. 

Additionally, strong surface winds are expected to prevail over Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, providing relief from the persisting heatwaves in the region. But the relief will not be equal in all parts of the country. 

The Peninsular region was the second hottest month since 1901, the average mean temperature is 31.39 degrees Celsius which is more than the normal temperature of 30.16 degrees Celsius. 

The larger number of heatwaves days is due to the scanty rainfall and the persistence of anti-cyclones over the Bay of Bengal and adjoining eastern coasts of India. However, no heatwaves have been reported from the regions of north and central India during the April month. This is due to the back-to-back five western disturbances.