Delhi to face higher than normal temperature, heatwaves in March-May: IMD

Forecasts of March-May period have been prepared based on weather conditions prevailing in Delhi

The weather office announced that the conditions over the Pacific have suggested a moderate La Nina situation. This can be an sign of normal monsoon, bringing relief to the farm sector and the economy. 

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the pre-monsoon months of March, April and May would be warmer than normal and heat waves would impact 16 states, apart from Delhi. Temperatures are likely to be above normal by one degree Celcius.

According to a report by The Times of India, the IMD's seasonal forecast says there is a probability that the maximum temperature in the core heat wave zone during the March to May period will peak, pointing to a high likelihood of heatwaves. 

The regions that will bear the brunt of higher-than-normal temperature, according to the IMD forecast, include Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Marathwada, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and coastal Andhra Pradesh. 

In areas like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, south interior Karnataka and Rayalaseema, temperature is likely to be higher by 0.5 degree Celcius. Remaining sub-divisions will mostly experience anomalies between 0.5 degrees to one degree.

The forecast also projects that the seasonal average mean temperature in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, south interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema and north-eastern states is likely to be less than 0.5 degree Celcius. 

The forecast for the March-May period has been prepared by IMD's long-term forecasting division on the basis of initial prevailing conditions in February. According to the national daily, D Sivananda Pai, head of IMD's long-term forecasting division, said Ïn the absence of other large-scale signals during the March-May period, the increased temperatures predicted the forecast can be attributed to global warming. 

The IMD also has predicted about 52 per cent probability of above-normal maximum temperature in core heat wave zones.