Brace Yourself! North India Is Staring At A Scorching Summer 2021, IMD Predicts

The IMD in its summer forecast predicts that temperatures are going to be above normal in north India but there is likely to be some relief in parts of south India.

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New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said in its summer forecast that the day temperatures are likely to be above normal in north, northeast, parts of east and west India. But in the south, there is a likelihood of below normal temperatures in south and the adjoining central India.

"During the upcoming hot weather season (March to May), above normal seasonal maximum (day) temperatures are likely over most of the subdivisions of north, northwest and northeast India, few subdivisions from eastern and western parts of central India and few coastal subdivisions of north peninsular India," the forecast said according to PTI.

IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said over the Indo-Gangetic plains which is from from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, east UP, west UP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand to Odisha the temperature is expected to be above normal by more than 0.5 degree Celsius during March to May. He said that there is a high probability with more than 75 per cent that in Chhattisgarh and Odisha the temperature is likely to be above normal by 0.86 degree Celsius and 0.66 degree Celsius respectively. 

He added, "There is also a 60 per cent probability of above normal temperature over Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi by 0.5 degree Celsius," according to PTI.

For the South India the summer forecast added, "below normal seasonal maximum temperatures are likely over most of the subdivisions of south peninsula and adjoining central India."

The IMD forecast said that moderate La Niña conditions are prevailing over the equatorial Pacific and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are below normal over the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean and that La Niña conditions are likely to sustain during the upcoming hot weather season (March to May).  

La Niña refers to the cooling of the Pacific waters and El Nino is its anthesis. This phenomenon has a impact on the weather of the Indian sub-continent.

The IMD said it will release the second summer forecast for April to June in April.