Delhi, 16 other states to face heatwaves from March to May: IMD

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

Prepare yourself for a scorching summer as the Met office has predicted above normal average temperatures from March to May across half the country.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said pre-monsoon months of March, April and May would be warmer than normal by 1 degree Celcius. Heat waves would effect 16 states apart from Delhi. 

According to a report in The Times of India, the IMD's seasonal forecast says that there is a probability that maximum temperature in the core heat wave zone during the period from March to May will touch their peak. The zone which will bear the brunt of higher than normal temperature as projected by 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 degrees Celcius. Remaining sub-divisions will mostly experience anomalies between 0.5 degrees Celcius to 1 degree Celcius.

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