India Experiences Intense Heatwave as Temperatures Surpass 40 Degrees in Several Areas

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), severe heatwave conditions are prevailing in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Gangetic West Bengal during the day. This ongoing heatwave affecting parts of Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal is the second heatwave spell this month, following the first spell which affected Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat. On Saturday, maximum temperatures at some places were recorded seven to eight degrees above normal.

For example, Baripada and Boudh in Odisha recorded a maximum temperature of 45.2 degrees Celsius, while Midnapore and Bankura in West Bengal recorded 44.5 degrees Celsius and 44.6 degrees Celsius, respectively. In Jharkhand, Daltonganj and Jamshedpur registered temperatures of 43.6 degrees Celsius and 43.5 degrees Celsius, respectively, while Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh reported 43 degrees Celsius. A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in the coastal areas, and 30 degrees in the hilly regions, with a departure from normal of at least 4.5 notches.

Additionally, a severe heatwave is declared if the departure from normal temperature exceeds 6.4 notches. The India Meteorological Department had earlier warned of extreme heat during the April-June period when general elections are taking place, heightening concerns about vulnerability to heatwaves. The Met office has predicted four to eight heatwave days in different parts of the country in April, with ten to 20 days of heatwave expected in the entire April-June period.

Global weather agencies, including the IMD, are also expecting La Nina conditions to develop later in the year. El Nino conditions are associated with weaker monsoon winds and drier conditions in India, while La Nina conditions lead to plentiful rainfall. The IMD has said that India will experience above-normal cumulative rainfall in the 2024 monsoon season with La Nina conditions expected to set in by August-September.

The monsoon is critical for India’s agricultural landscape and is also crucial for replenishing reservoirs critical for drinking water and power generation across the country. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)