The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted heatwave conditions in several parts of India – from Maharashtra to Odisha and Bengal over the next few days. As per IMD definition, a heat wave is when the temperature of any place crosses 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in coastal areas, and 30 degrees in the hills.
It also declares a heat wave when a place registers maximum temperature that is 4.5 to 6.4 degrees Celsius more than the normal temperature for the area for that day; and it is a severe heat wave if this temperature is over 6.4 degrees
Another criterion used by the IMD to declare a heat wave is when temperature of a given place touches/crosses the 45 degrees Celsius mark and after 47 degrees Celsius, it is a severe heat wave.
Maharashtra
The IMD in its bulletin on Monday said gradual rise in maximum temperature by 2-3 degrees in northwest India and by 2-4 degrees in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh is very likely during the next three-four days.
On Sunday, the IMD Colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 34°C, 1.2°C above normal, while the Santacruz observatory recorded A maximum of 35.5°C (2.2°C above normal).
“In Mumbai, the maximum temperature is expected to rise by a degree, while the humidity while the humidity would be as high as 80-90 per cent. We have also issued a heatwave warning for the next two-three days in parts of North Madhya Maharashtra, including Jalgaon, Nashik and Ahmednagar,” IMD Mumbai head Jayanta Sarkar told Mid-day.
Delhi
Delhi on Tuesday recorded a minimum temperature of 24.9 degrees Celsius, one notch above the normal, according to the India Meteorological Department. The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 42 degrees Celsius. According to the weather department, the relative humidity in the city at 8.30 am was 37 per cent.
The IMD has predicted that heatwave conditions are unlikely in Delhi for the next three days. A yellow alert warning has been issued for a heatwave spell in the national capital starting April 28.
Gujarat
Heat wave conditions are likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Gujarat the next five days, the IMD said in a forecast on April 23. Severe heat wave conditions were observed in isolated pockets over Saurashtra and Kutch while heat wave conditions were observed over other parts of Gujarat, it added.
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh
As per IMD estimates, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh the most adverse weather in 2022 yet with 25 heat waves and severe heat wave days each during this period and also has had an adverse impact on the rabi crop.
“Anti-cyclones over western parts of Rajasthan in March and the absence of rain-bearing Western Disturbances had triggered the early and extreme heat waves. Anti-cyclones cause hot and dry weather by sinking winds around high pressure systems in the atmosphere,” D Sivananda Pai of the Kottayam-based Institute for Climate Change Studies was quoted by news agency IANS as saying.
Odisha
Odisha continued to be under the grip of a sweltering heat wave on Monday, prompting the state government to suspend classes of all schools for five days from Tuesday. Several districts bore the brunt of the blistering heat, including Cuttack, Khurda, Angul, Subarnapur, Boudh and Nayagarh districts, the Met office said.
The maximum temperature rose by 1-3 degrees Celsius at several places, while the minimum temperature was also higher than normal in some areas, it said. A notification issued by the School and Mass Education Department said though classes will remain suspended for five days, examinations conducted by the Board of Secondary Education and the Council of Higher Secondary Education would be held as per schedule.
The Met department said eight weather stations recorded a temperature of 43 degrees Celsius or more, with Bolangir sizzling at 44 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature in state capital Bhubaneswar was 40.8 degrees Celsius. Temperatures are likely to settle above 40 degrees Celsius at many places across the state during the next four-five days, the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre said.
It also issued a heat wave alert for some places in Subarnapur, Boudh and Bolangir districts of western Odisha for the next four days.
Bengal
Heatwave conditions prevailed in five districts of south Bengal on Sunday as Kolkata sizzled at 39.6 degrees Celsius, the season’s highest temperature, the weather office said. No respite from the heat and humidity seemed to be in sight as the weather office predicted dry weather in south Bengal districts over the next three days.
Bankura recorded the highest temperature in West Bengal at 43.1 degrees Celsius, the weather office said. Heatwave conditions prevailed in North 24 Parganas, Malda, Paschim Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur and Birbhum districts with the day’s maximum temperature moving up 4.5 degrees above normal, it said.
Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman recorded 42.3 degrees Celsius, Sriniketan in Birbhum recorded 41.7 degrees Celsius, Malda town recorded 41 degrees Celsius, Dum Dum clocked 40.5 degrees Celsius and Medinipur town recorded 42 degrees Celsius, the weather office said. Alipore headquarters of the Regional Met Centre recorded this summer’s highest temperature in Kolkata at 39.6 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature was 28.3 degrees Celsius.
Adding to the discomfort was the maximum relative humidity of 89 per cent, it said. Though there are usually fewer people and vehicles on the roads on Sundays, the extreme weather ensured that the city wore a deserted look with only those having no option but stepping out, braving the heat and humidity.
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