New Delhi: Most parts of the country will see a gradual increase in maximum (day) temperature by 2-4 degrees Celsius over the next 3-4 days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted. According to the IMD’s forecast, several areas in northwest India may witness even steeper temperature rise of up to 5 degrees Celsius over the next 4 days.
The IMD said on Monday that the day temperatures along central India and interior Maharashtra will increase by 2-4 degrees Celsius. In Gujarat, which reeled under heatwave earlier in March, the maximum temperatures will go up by 2-3 degrees Celsius over the next 3 days, the Met department said. This will be followed by a decrease of about 2-3 degrees Celsius afterwards. “Hot and humid weather conditions” will persist in isolated areas along Gujarat’s coastal regions until Tuesday.
Pre-monsoon seasonal rains impacted Kerala, Tamil Nadu, south interior Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh in southern India as the month progressed. Meanwhile, western disturbance systems brought rainfall to Northeast India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.
In March, the country’s northwest regions witnessed notably dry conditions, resulting in a rise in the average monthly maximum temperatures nationwide. Heatwave conditions were reported in western Gujarat, the Konkan region, parts of Vidarbha in Maharashtra, and areas of Odisha bordering Chhattisgarh. This month, only Kerala, Tamil Nadu, south interior Karnataka, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand recorded normal or above-average rainfall.
‘Fill gaps in early warning systems’
Meanwhile, on World Meteorological Day that was observed on Sunday, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) asked all UN member countries to take steps to fill gaps in early warning systems across the globe. WMO underlined that even though there was significant progress in forecasting, there are still gaps in observation networks, accuracy, and access to quality climate and hydrological data.
In his message to mark the day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed on the need for early warning systems. He said, “The theme of this year’s world meteorological day – closing the early warning gap together — reminds us that, in this new climate reality, early warning systems are not luxuries. They are necessities and sound investments —providing an almost 10-fold return.”
