IMD New Alert: The Meteorological Department has said that due to heat waves in some states in the beginning of March itself, the heat will start troubling. In some states, the temperature will reach 40 degrees.
New Delhi: The day temperature started rising in February itself and the heat is likely to intensify in early March. According to the Meteorological Department, the havoc of summer will start in the beginning of March itself.
The department has explained the reason for this, "The weather in North West India is mainly controlled by Western Disturbance. Since no Western Disturbance has been active in the region since January 29, the temperature has increased significantly.
Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the regional forecasting centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said that due to some weak western disturbances, there has been less than normal rainfall in the hills, due to which the maximum temperature is already on the rise and the mercury will rise in the first fortnight of March. In one or two meteorological subdivisions of northwest India, it can climb up to 40 °C and above.
Heatwave in Gujarat in February itself
The Meteorological Department had said that the first heatwave alert was issued in Kutch, Gujarat. However, the IMD on Monday withdrew the heatwave warning for these areas as the sea breeze brought down the temperature slightly.
In March last year, the country recorded its hottest weather since 1901, with the heat causing a 2.5 per cent decline in wheat yields. The Meteorological Department attributed the abnormal heat to the absence of an active Western Disturbance over North India and lack of rainfall due to any major system over South India. Only 8.9 mm of rainfall was recorded across the country, which was 71 per cent less than the long period average of 30.4 mm.
Delhi recorded hottest day since 1969 on Monday
Delhi on Monday recorded its third hottest February day since 1969, with the maximum temperature rising to 33.6 degrees Celsius at the Safdarjung Observatory, the primary weather station in the national capital. To put this in perspective, Delhi's maximum temperature on Monday was nine degrees above normal. The automated weather station at Pitampura recorded a maximum temperature of 35.1 degrees Celsius, 10 degrees below normal. Delhi recorded its third hottest February day since 1969 on Monday. The maximum temperature soared to 33.6 degrees Celsius at the Safdarjung Observatory, the primary weather station in the national capital. To put this in perspective, Delhi's maximum temperature on Monday was nine degrees above normal.