IMD issues heat wave warning for three states, forecasts rise in temperature in Maharashtra

India Meteorological Department has issued heat wave warnings for isolated pockets in Odisha on 16th and 17th and Gangetic West Bengal and coastal Andhra Pradesh on 16th May. The IMD said yesterday the observed maximum temperatures were in the range of 40-44°C over most parts of Northwest, Central & adjoining East India and north Peninsular India.

"Maximum temperatures were above normal by 2-4°C over arts of coastal Odisha, coastal West Bengal, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Vidarbha and normal over rest parts of the country," the IMD said.

The weather department also forecast maximum temperatures are very likely to rise by 2-3°C over many parts of Maharashtra from 17th May.


On the other hand, the IMD has forecast rainfall in some parts of Northeast India over the next five days. "Heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh on 16, over Assam and Meghalaya during 16th to 20th and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura during 16th to 19th May," the IMD said.

Dust storm is very likely in isolated pockets over Rajasthan during 16-18th May, 2023, the IMD said.

Strong winds swept across Delhi on today morning, raising dust and affecting air quality as well as reducing visibility. Meteorologists have attributed the dusty conditions to a combination of intense heat in northwest India over the past five days, parched soil due to the absence of rainfall and strong winds that have persisted since midnight.

Jatin Singh of Skymet said in a tweet that "monsoon onset looks feeble and delayed. Hot weather will continue deep into June this year. Sowing might also get delayed"

IMD has forecast normal monsoon rainfall in 2023. But the strong likelihood of an El Nino weather pattern developing during the June-September monsoon season raises the possibility of less than normal rain. In the past, India has experienced below-average rainfall during most El Nino years, sometimes leading to severe drought that destroyed crops and forced authorities to limit the export of some food grains.