Mercury rising: IMD predicts heat wave in many parts, including Punjab and Haryana

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, March 27

Amid an “unprecedented” dry spell prevailing over the Northwest since the end of winter, the IMD has predicted a heat wave over many parts of the country, including Northwest Central and Western parts over the next four to five days.

Meanwhile, light to moderate rainfall activity will continue over Northeast during the period.

The weather office said “isolated heat wave conditions are very likely over Western Himalayan Region and Gujarat during the next three days; over West Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Rajasthan during next four to five days; and over south Punjab, south Haryana, Bihar, Jharkhand, north Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada during March 29 and 31”.

On Sunday also, heat wave conditions prevailed over west Rajasthan; and isolated pockets of Jammu division. Temperatures have been markedly above normal (5.1deg;C or more) at most places over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh; at many places over Uttarakhand and West Rajasthan and appreciably above normal (3.1deg;C to 5.0deg;C) at most places over Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi and Jharkhand and many places over East Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh and West Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, which are expected to continue.

There will be a gradual rise in maximum temperatures by 2-3 degrees C over most parts of Northwest and Central India during the next four days, according to the weather office

Notably, northern plains in general and Punjab, Haryana and Delhi in particular have not seen rains since the end of winter season in February. Normally, the cooling systems prevail around first half of March and sometimes even beyond. However, this year most parts of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi were mostly dry.

“February rains were insufficient in the region and scarcity got compounded in March. Punjab, Haryana and Delhi are deficit in March by 98%, 99% and 100%, respectively, so far. It is nearly unprecedented. Rains were deficit in 2021 also but the margin was 50-60%. There have been instances of deluge like in 2016 and 2020 when a large excess of 300-400% was recorded in March,” according to private forecaster Skymet Weather.

Due to the absence of rains and clouds, temperatures are giving a feel of April in March.

Delhi witnessed a high of 38.3 degrees C on March 20, almost 8 notches higher than normal. Punjab and Haryana have been seeing temperatures more than 35 degree C since mid-March. The month may end at an all-time low as likelihood of rains in remaining days is almost zero, say Skymet Weather forecasters.