The India Meteorological Department has issued a warning stating that heat wave conditions are expected to persist over parts of east and peninsular India in the next two days. These regions include Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Vidarbha, North Interior Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, Rayalaseema, and Telangana. Over the past 24 hours, heat wave conditions were observed in isolated pockets of North Interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Yanam.
Heatwave is a critical condition where air temperature poses a threat to human health. It is defined based on specific temperature thresholds for a region, either in terms of actual temperature or deviation from normal. In some countries, it is determined using the heat index, considering temperature and humidity, or extreme percentiles of temperatures. For plains, a heat wave is considered when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius, and for hilly regions, it’s at least 30 degrees Celsius.
The IMD advises people to minimize heat exposure by wearing lightweight, light-colored, loose cotton clothes, covering the head, and using hats, umbrellas, or cloths for shade.
On Thursday, maximum temperatures ranged from 40-42 degrees Celsius over many areas of Vidarbha, Telangana, and Rayalaseema, as well as parts of East Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Marathwada, Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, and North Interior Karnataka. Maximum temperature departures were above normal by 3-4 degrees Celsius in isolated pockets over Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, East Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Vidarbha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Rayalaseema, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Additionally, enhanced rainfall and thunderstorm activity are expected to continue over the northeastern part of the country until April 9, 2024. Another Western disturbance is anticipated to affect the Western Himalayan Region from April 10, 2024. This disturbance may bring light rainfall/snowfall to isolated places over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh on April 5-6, 10-11, and over Uttarakhand over the next 7 days.
IMD also predicts rainfall at isolated places over Rajasthan on April 5-6, 10-11, 2024. Moreover, a cyclonic circulation persists over north Bangladesh, while another lies over east Assam and neighboring areas. Under their influence, widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall/snowfall with isolated thunderstorms and lightning are expected over Arunachal Pradesh; scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall with isolated thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds (40-50 kmph) over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura over the next 7 days.
Link to article –
