No respite in May: IMD
The northwest and central India recorded the highest maximum temperatures for the month of April since 1900 with average maximum temperatures reaching 35.9 degrees Celsius and 37.78 degrees Celsius respectively, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday. Overall, this April was the fourth warmest for the country ever, it pointed out.
Releasing the forecast for the month of May, the IMD said there would be no respite for the region next month as the above normal maximum and minimum temperatures would continue in northwest and central parts of India. This means, people will not only have to bear with hot days, but nights are also likely to be warmer than usual in May. There is possibility that the maximum temperatures may touch 50 degrees Celsius during May this year.
On Saturday, Chandrapur in Maharashtra was the hottest area in India with 46.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Ganganagar with 46 degrees Celsius and Jaisalmer with 45.9 degrees Celsius. Over 40 cities in nine States recorded 44 degrees Celsius and above. The maximum temperature of over 47 degrees Celsius was recorded in Banda.
“Northwest and central India experienced their hottest April in 122 years with average maximum temperatures reaching 35.9 degrees Celsius and 37.78 degrees Celsius respectively. This April was the fourth warmest for the country ever,” the IMD said.
Similarly, the number of instances of heatwave or severe heatwave conditions reported across the country in April this year was 146, the highest since 2010, when 404 such cases were reported. The heatwave continued till May 2 as per latest forecast of the IMD.
“Most parts of northwest India - J&K, Himachal, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat - are expected to experience above normal temperatures in May said IMD Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra on Saturday while releasing the monthly outlook for the temperature and rainfall during May. Mohapatra also did not rule out parts of western Rajasthan reporting temperatures more than 50 degrees Celsius.
“I cannot make that forecast, but it is climatologically possible as May is the hottest month,” Mohapatra said to questions on whether temperatures would top 50 degrees Celsius this summer.
The previous highest maximum temperature ever recorded in Rajasthan was 52.6 degrees Celsius in 1956.
The average maximum temperature in April over central India was 37.78 degrees Celsius, higher than the average of 37.75 degrees recorded in 1973.
Mohapatra said most parts of west-central and northwest India will experience above normal maximum temperatures during May. Days are likely to be hotter than average in northern parts of northeast India. Nights would also be warmer in May in most parts of the country, except some regions of south peninsular India.
“During May, above normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the west central and northwest India, and northern parts of northeast India. Normal to below normal maximum temperatures are likely over the remaining parts of the country. Similarly, above normal minimum temperatures are likely over most parts of northwest, central, east and northeast India. Normal to below normal minimum temperatures are likely over the south peninsular India and few pockets of extreme northwest India,” the IMD said in its forecast.
“The average rainfall in May 2022 over the country is most likely to be above normal,” Mohapatra said.
The minimum temperature also remained above normal in April, indicating above normal temperatures at night. The average minimum temperature over northwest India in April was 19.44 degrees, 1.75 degrees above the long period average Northwest and central India have received “continuously scanty rainfall activity” in March and April, according to the IMD.
In March, northwest India recorded a deficit in rainfall of around 89 per cent, while the deficit was around 83 per cent in April. The reason for a deficit in pre-monsoon rainfall over northwest and central India is that the western disturbances were feeble and dry, Mohapatra said.
While six western disturbances affected north India, they were mostly feeble and moved across the higher parts of the Himalayas, according to the IMD. Of these, the last three western disturbances caused strong winds in parts of Delhi and dust storms over Rajasthan in April.