IMD sees no immediate respite as scorching heat continues to roast North India

NEW DELHI: For all those who are reeling under scorching heat, with temperature touching a 60-year high at 47.8 degree Celsius in Delhi on Sunday, respite is not coming anytime soon. Temperatures could remain at similar levels with humidity increasing in the coming three to four days, the Indian weather forecasting agency said.

“No significant change in maximum temperatures likely over many parts of northwest and adjoining central India,” the India Meteorological Department ( IMD) said in its weather forecast Monday. “Heat-wave to severe heat-wave conditions would prevail at many places over Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha.”

While monsoon has set in parts of Kerela, Lakshwadeep and Karnataka, the rain-carrying winds would take another three weeks to reach northern India, the IMD said.

Because of the expectations of El Nino – a weather pattern that could cause drought in India – the country is bracing for a sub-normal monsoon this year. In his address to a joint session of Parliament Monday detailing the new government’s priorities, President Pranab Mukherjee said the authorities are making plans to deal with any shortfall in rains.

“My government is alert about the possibility of a subnormal monsoon this year and contingency plans are being prepared,” Mukherjee said. El Nino is an oceanic phenomenon which disrupts rainfall in countries across the pacific. El Nino has a history of adversely impacting rainfall in India during monsoon. In the last decade, 2002, 2004 and 2009 were drought years in India due to emergence of El Nino.

Forecasters in India, both IMD and private agencies, have rubbished the chance of drought, but have forecast below-normal monsoon rains this year.