The India Meteorological Department on Monday forecasted temperatures to be above normal in north, Northern India whereas temperatures to be below normal in south and neighbouring central India for the period of March to May.
“During the upcoming hot weather season (March to May), above normal seasonal maximum (day) temperatures are likely over most of the subdivisions of north, northwest and northeast India, few subdivisions from eastern and western parts of central India and few coastal subdivisions of north peninsular India,” the report of IMD said.
There are chances of above maximum temperatures in Odisha, coastal Maharashtra, Goa, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgah and Gujarat.
Over the regions of Indo-Gangetic plains from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, east UP, west UP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand to Odisha the temperature is forecasted to be more by 0.5 degree Celsius above the normal, said the Director General of IMD.
In the Chhattisgarh and Odisha mercury will be above normal hence, the temperature will be above normal by 0.86 degree Celsius in Chhattisgarh and by 0.66 degree Celsius in Odisha.
“There is also a 60 per cent probability of above normal temperature over Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi by 0.5 degree Celsius,” he added.
However, there are chances of normal conditions in the parts of south India.
“Below normal seasonal maximum temperatures are likely over most of the subdivisions of south peninsula and adjoining central India,” the summer forecast added.
It said above normal seasonal minimum (night) temperatures are likely over most of the of north India along the foot hills of Himalayas, northeast India, western part of central India and southern part of peninsular India.
“However, below normal season minimum temperatures are likely over most of the subdivisions of eastern part of the central India and few subdivisions of extreme northern part of the country,” the IMD added.
IMD also said that medium La Nina conditions are prevailing over the equatorial Pacific and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are below normal over the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean and are likely to sustain for the period of March to May.
La Nina cools down the Pacific waters which impacts the weather of the Indian sub-continent.
The second forecast for the period of April to June will be released in April, said IMD.
