New Delhi: The Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of Maharashtra have been experiencing a severe heatwave. This is considered to be the fourth heatwave in the last two months, and the second in April. Moreover, on Tuesday Vidarbha registered to be the hottest region in the country.
On the same day, the states that experienced the highest maximum temperatures (in degrees Celsius) were Brahmapuri (44.7), followed by Akola (44.5), Chandrapur and Wardha (44.4 each), Gondiya (43.5), Amravati (43.2), Nagpur, Washim, and Parbhani (43 each), Ahmednagar (42.3) and Solapur (41.4).
What is heatwave?
A region is considered to experience a heatwave when the maximum temperature reaches as much as 40 degrees Celsius or more in the plains or at least 30 degrees Celsius in the hilly regions. With maximum temperature ranging between 4.5 and 6 degrees, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) declares a heatwave.
A severe heatwave is declared when the recorded maximum temperature of a region reaches over 6.4 degrees Celsius from the normal temperature. Further, if an area records over 45 degrees and 47 degrees Celsius on any particular day, then IMD declares heatwave and severe heatwave respectively.
Maharashtra’s fourth heatwave in two months
With March, the summer season starts and is considered a transition phase, with day temperature rising gradually. May marks the peak month for heatwaves in India. However, the temperature starts rising in the second half of April.
The first two heatwaves in Maharashtra were recorded last month. March witnessed two long spells of a heatwave – March 11 to 19, and one of the longest spells from March 27 to April 12. Besides, the third heatwave began on April 17 and lasted till April 20.
Vidarbhha region recorded above 40 degrees Celsius starting in March, this season.
Lack of pre-monsoon showers
Other than the southern peninsula and northeast regions, the weather has remained dry across the rest of the country. However, in the last week, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and Delhi reported light rainfall for once. The lack of pre-monsoon showers has also led to an increase in the overall maximum temperature. Maharashtra recorded 63% deficient rainfall from March 1 and April 26.
What’s the weather forecast for Maharashtra?
The IMD has issued ‘yellow’ alerts and warnings of continuous heatwave conditions over Chandrapur, Wardha, Nagpur, Amravati, Akola, Jalgaon, Buldhana, Yavatmal, Ahmednagar, and Nashik districts till April 30. A gradual rise of maximum temperature by 2-3 degrees Celsius will be experienced in parts of the state this week.
The IMD has said that the heatwave conditions are likely to prevail in isolated pockets of Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, and parts of Vidarbha during the next 3-4 days. Besides, maximum temperatures will remain above normal to appreciably above normal during this period.
