New Delhi: April this year was the hottest in the north-west and central India in the last 122 years, with the average maximum temperature reaching 35.9 degrees Celsius and 37.78 degrees Celsius, respectively, the Meteorological Department said on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra said that the north-west and west-central parts of the country – Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana – will face above-normal temperatures in May as well. . He said that most parts of the country except some areas of South Peninsular India would experience heat during the night even during May.
Mohapatra said that the average temperature across the country during April was 35.05 degrees Celsius, which is the fourth-highest in 122 years. He said that the average rainfall in the country during May this year is likely to be above normal. It also said that in May, there is a possibility of below-normal rains in parts of North-West and Northeast India as well as the South-East peninsula.
The Director-General of IMD said that “persistent weak rainfall activity” led to higher temperatures in March and April. He said that North-West India saw a fall of about 89 per cent in rainfall during March and 83 per cent in April.
It is noteworthy that people in the country – especially in the northwest and western parts – have been facing a heatwave for the last few weeks.
