Meteorological department predicts above-normal heatwave conditions in March-May

NEW DELHI: The weather in the country is likely to remain warmer than usual over the next three months due to rising temperatures across the globe, the India Meteorological Department said.

“During the 2018 pre-monsoon season, warmer-than-normal temperatures are likely in all meteorological subdivisions of the country. Seasonal average temperatures over many of the subdivisions from northwest and neighbouring central India are likely to be above normal by more than 1 degree Celsius,” IMD said in its pre-monsoon forecast on Wednesday. The pre-monsoon season is from March to May. The weather office also warned of increasing trends in the duration and frequency of heat wave conditions in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa and Telangana.

“Normal to above-normal heatwave conditions are likely in the core heat-wave zone during the season,” the IMD added.


The rise in temperature will not have a major impact on the current rabi production unless there are excessive heat wave conditions. “Overall, the impact on production will be negligible.

In wheat, the yields can drop if the temperature rise is for a long period,” said KK Singh, head of agro-meteorology at IMD. “The grain filling period for the wheat crop is in March. If the temperature is higher by 1 degree Celsius, than maturity will happen fast and productivity will be less by 200-350 kg per hectare from average productivity of 4.5-5 tonne.” Farmers in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan typically start planting cotton by May and paddy by June. In Madhya Pradesh, soybean cultivation starts after the monsoon sets in.