After a dry and brief winter, western Himayalan regions are already sweltering under heatwave conditions this March with day temperatures shooting up to 10 degrees Celsius above normal.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Friday issued a heatwave alert for Himachal Pradesh, west Rajasthan and Gujarat (Kutch-Saurashtra) for March 7-10.
Due to the rising heat, Kullu, Mandi and Solan districts of Himachal Pradesh remain under ‘yellow’ alert till Saturday.
The IMD declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature recorded over the plains is over 40 degrees Celsius, along the coasts over 37 degrees Celsius, and over the hills more than 30 degrees Celsius.
“The maximum temperatures over these regions will remain significantly high and stay 8 to 10 degrees Celsius above normal for this time of the year,” an IMD official from New said.
On Friday, the maximum temperatures recorded in many places in and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan were abnormally high for early March.
Jharsuguda in Odisha remained the hottest location in the country at 39.6 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam, one of Kashmir’s favourite winter destinations, recorded 20.8 degrees Celsius (10.8 degrees Celsius above normal) while Gulmarg, at 17.2 degrees Celsius, experienced the second warmest March day since 2018 on Friday.
Srinagar, J&K’s winter capital, reported 24.7 degrees Celsius — a departure by 11.7 degrees from normal. In the plains, Jammu clocked 32.4 degrees Celsius (+8.1 degrees Celsius) on the day. The maximum temperature of was 25.2 degrees Celsius — up by 10 degrees Celsius from average.
This unprecedented warm start to the summer over the hills of north India is linked to the prevailing clear sky conditions and lack of strong western disturbances, which could bring-in precipitation during March.
Konkan in Maharashtra, too, has been experiencing hot and humid weather coinciding with the ongoing heatwave spell, which is expected to last till Sunday. Overall, the Met department has warned of above normal heat, when temperatures will remain up to 4 degrees Celsius above normal, over Odisha, northern , coastal Andhra Pradesh and coastal Gujarat till Sunday.
Heatwave conditions over Himachal Pradesh will abate by Sunday. West Rajasthan will come under the heatwave cover on March 9 and 10 whereas Kutch in Gujarat will remain under the grip of the heatwave till March 10, the IMD has warned.
