ADVERTISEMENTThe IMD’s forecast suggests extra heatwave days across vast swathes of central, eastern, northern and western India and parts of southern India (see map). Extra heatwave days are unlikely in the northeast, the western Himalayan region, the southwest peninsula and the west coast. Heatwaves in India typically last between four and eight days, the IMD had said earlier based on an analysis of weather data between 1961 and 2020. But heatwave durations have exceeded eight days in some parts of central and northwestern India, Odisha and coastal Andhra Pradesh. The IMD declares a heatwave when the normal maximum temperature at a site ranges between 4 degrees Celsius and 5 degrees Celsius above the normal for that site or when the maximum temperature remains 45 degrees Celsius or higher irrespective of the normal maximum temperature.

Source: The Telegraph March 02, 2024 13:27 UTC