New Delhi: Day tempertaures have been soaring across northwestern and eastern parts of India. Dr M Mohapatra, Director General of the Indian Meteorological Department said that above normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of westcentral, northwest and northern parts of northeast India, reported news agency ANI.
Dr Mohapatra added that normal to above normal rainfall is likely over most parts of India except some parts of northwest and northeast India as well as the extreme southeast Peninsula where it is likely to be below normal.
Current La Niña conditions are prevailing over the equatorial Pacific region, he said while speaking to ANI.
He added that the rainfall is going to be above normal over the country as a whole during May 2022 (109% Long Period Average). Other climate models also suggest enhanced probability for La Niña conditions during the upcoming season. Currently, neutral IOD conditions prevail over the Indian Ocean and MMCFS forecast indicates negative IOD.
Since the past few weeks, a torrid heatwave sent the mercury soaring across large swathes of the country on Friday, with Banda in east Uttar Pradesh logging a record high of 47.4 degrees Celsius for April, besides many other places also registering all-time high temperatures for the month.
The mercury breached the 46 degree Celsius mark in several places. Allahabad, Jhansi and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh recorded all-time high temperatures for April at 46.8 degrees Celsius, 46.2 degrees Celsius and 45.1 degrees Celsius respectively.
Gurugram in Haryana and Satna in Madhya Pradesh also recorded their respective all-time highs for the month at 45.9 degrees Celsius and 45.3 degrees Celsius.
Among other places, Delhi's Sports Complex observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 46.4 degrees Celsius, Rajasthan's Ganganagar 46.4 degrees Celsius, Madhya Pradesh's Nowgong 46.2 degrees Celsius and Maharashtra's Chandrapur 46.4 degrees Celsius.
IMD said the intense heat could lead to "moderate" health concerns for the vulnerable sections such as infants, the elderly and people with chronic diseases. "Hence people should avoid heat exposure, wear lightweight and light-coloured cotton clothes and cover their heads with a hat or an umbrella," PTI reported.
There is an increased likelihood of symptoms of heat illness in people who are either exposed to the sun for a prolonged period or doing heavy work, an IMD advisory read.