The Election Commission has sought "strict compliance" of its directive of providing assured minimum facilities at polling stations, including drinking water, shade and medical kit, for the Lok Sabha elections in the backdrop of the IMD predicting a harsh summer. It has also shared with its state chief electoral officers a set of 'dos and don'ts' issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to minimise the impact of the impending heat wave. In a letter sent out to its CEOs on March 16, the day it announced schedule for the Lok Sabha elections, the EC reminded them about its earlier set of instructions on assured minimum facilities at polling stations. According to the June 2023 instructions on assured minimum facilities, which have been circulated afresh, during summer, every polling party shall be supplied with oral rehydration salts (ORS) for their own use as well as for any voter needing the same due to heat-stroke. "A hand bill on 'Dos and Don'ts' in case of heat
IMD forecasts rainfall with lightning, and thunderstorms in a few areas. Heat wave conditions likely to be in Saurashtra, Kutch, and southwest Rajasthan
It was a chilly morning in the national capital on Thursday as the minimum temperature settled five notches below the season's average at 8.8 degrees Celsius, the Met office said. The city is likely to experience a partly cloudy sky during the day and the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 25 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The relative humidity at 8.30 am was 75 per cent, the IMD bulletin said. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 9 am stood at 179. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".
India is likely to experience a warmer start to the summer season this year with El Nino conditions predicted to continue through the season, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday. More heatwave days than normal are predicted over northeast peninsular India -- Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and north interior Karnataka -- and many parts of Maharashtra and Odisha. The country is likely to record above-normal rainfall in March (more than 117 per cent of the long-period average of 29.9 mm). India is likely to see above-normal maximum and minimum temperatures in most parts of the country in the March to May period, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said at a press conference. Heatwave conditions are not expected over north and central India in March, he said. Lok Sabha polls are likely to be held in April-May. Mohapatra said that the prevailing El Nino conditions -- the periodic warming of waters in the central Pacific Ocean -- will continue through the summer s
IMD has indicated that light to moderate rainfall, snowfall are likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura on February 22 and 23
Dense fog was also reported in Rajpura city, in the Patiala district of Punjab. Shivnath, a driver, complained that dense fog is leading to traffic jams
According to the data shared by the IMD, the minimum temperature in the city can go to 7 degrees and the maximum temperature would reach 25 degrees Celsius
The India Meteorological Department has decided to discontinue the services of the 199 district agromet units that provide crucial and detailed weather-related advisories to lakhs of farmers at the block level, helping them reduce crop losses and increase income. In an order issued on January 17, the IMD said the services of the district agromet units (DAMU) will not be extended beyond the current financial year (2023-2024). "Therefore, you are requested to kindly take necessary action for discontinuation of services of district agromet units (DAMUs) and winding up the existing 199 DAMUs," the order said. According to the minutes of the Expenditure Finance Committee (Finance Ministry) meeting held in February last year, a senior advisor of Niti Aayog had advised reevaluation of the "necessity of providing staff at each DAMU". The official suggested the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) may have "centralised units instead of field units as the collection of data is automated". The
Unfavourable weather conditions in the world's second-biggest wheat producer after China could oblige the country to import the staple to ensure affordable supplies for its 1.4 billion people
After experiencing a drier-than-usual December and January, northwest India is expected to see normal to above-normal rainfall in February, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday. Addressing a press conference, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said India cumulatively may experience above-normal rainfall in February. Northwest India recorded just 3.1 mm of rainfall in January, the second lowest since 1901, the IMD said. Northwest India consisting of seven meteorological sub-divisions is most likely to receive above-normal rainfall (more than 122 per cent of the long period average) in February. "Monthly rainfall over the country as a whole during February is most likely to be above normal (more than 119 per cent of the long period average)," Mohapatra said. Normal to above-normal rainfall is predicted over northeast and central India. Below-normal rainfall is likely over south peninsular India. Most parts of the country are likely to witness above-nor
This month marks the coldest January days in at least 13 years, with an average maximum temperature of 17.7 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 6.2 degrees Celsius
Centre holds off on imposing stricter curbs on pollution as Delhi continues to grapple with 'very' poor to 'severe' air quality
Delhiites woke up to a cold and foggy morning as the minimum temperature in the national capital on Thursday dipped to 4.8 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average, the weather department said. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a "orange alert" for dense fog at isolated places in Delhi for Thursday. Twenty four trains to New Delhi have been running late due to low visibility. The national capital's maximum temperature for the day is expected to hover around 19 degrees Celsius. Delhi has experienced five cold days and five cold wave days in January so far, the highest in the past 13 years, according to IMD. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city stood at 355 at 9 am, according to data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe". The relative humidity at 8.30 am was
Total number of cold wave days declined in 2022; will this year buck the trend?
The national capital has not received any rainfall in January so far an unusual occurrence when compared to previous years, according to IMD's data. In the last seven years, Delhi saw one to six days of rain in January where normal rainfall during the month is 8.1 mm at Safdarjung Observatory, the India Meteorological Department data showed. However, there has been no rain in the city in January with seven days to go in the month. Last year in January, Delhi received 20.4 mm of rain, more than the normal of 19.1 mm, IMD data showed. In January 2022, the city received 88.2 mm of rain, more than the normal of 21.7 mm. Before this year, the winter of 2016 saw a deficit in rainfall. Delhi has experienced five cold day conditions and five cold wave conditions in January so far, the highest in the last 13 years, according to IMD data. The national capital, which recorded 6.9 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, is experiencing cold day conditions and dense fog in the morning and during the ...
The air quality is expected to remain in the 'very poor' category for the rest of the week
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) added that strong jet streams were also causing the cold conditions
Weather information for Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Lucknow, and New Delhi, among other important places, is also available on IMD's webpage
At the same time, 38 per cent of districts saw a high number of excessive rainfall years in 40 years, shows the CEEW study
The IMD started its 150th anniversary celebrations on Monday with the launch of the 'Panchayat Mausam Seva', which aims to give weather forecasts to every farmer in every village