The threshold for a heatwave is met when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees Celsius in coastal areas
Representation image. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warning of heatwave at several parts of the country, including Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, parts of Maharashtra among others for the next 48 hours.
The mercury touched 41.6 degrees Celsius in Bhuj (Gujarat), 41.1 degrees Celsius in Rajkot (Gujarat), 41.5 degrees Celsius in Akola (Maharashtra) and 41.4 degrees Celsius in Washim (Maharashtra).
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The threshold for a heatwave is met when the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees Celsius in coastal areas and 30 degrees Celsius in hilly regions.
For central Maharashtra and Marathwada, the IMD has predicted warm nights from March 27 to 29. Warm nights (above-normal minimum temperature) are when the temperature at night crosses 40 degree Celsius. While, the Vidharbha region crossed the marks of 40 degree Celsius as day time temperature on Wednesday.
Hot and humid weather is predicted over Konkan and Goa on March 27-28 and over Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala and Mahe during March 27-31.
The IMD had earlier forecast that India would experience a warmer summer and more heatwave days this year, with El Nino conditions expected to continue at least until May.
From March to May, an above-normal number of heatwave days are likely over most parts of the country except the northeast, the western Himalayan region, the southwest peninsula and the west coast.
As per PTI report, according to an analysis of the temperature data since 1970, the probability of the mercury soaring to 40 degrees Celsius in late March has multiplied due to climate change. Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Bihar had a more than 5 per cent chance of experiencing such temperatures.
However, the analysis revealed that the chance of reaching 40 degrees Celsius has since expanded to nine states -- Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
Maharashtra now has the highest probability at 14 per cent, the report said.
(With PTI inputs)
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