New Delhi: India should brace for a harsh summer this year, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
Though the country is likely to receive normal rainfall in April, 10 states including Odisha are likely to experience extreme heat in till June, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mahapatra said.
“A significantly higher number of heatwave days are predicted over parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana,” Mahapatra was quoted as saying by PTI during a virtual press conference.
Most of India, with the exception of parts of northwest and peninsular region, is expected to experience above-normal maximum temperatures from April to June, IMD stated, adding that above-normal heatwave days are predicted in most parts of central, east and northwest India during the said period.
In south peninsular India and some parts of northwest India, the temperature is likely to be “normal to below-normal maximum” from April to June.
“Normal to above-normal minimum temperatures are very likely over most parts of the country, barring some areas in northeast and northwest India and isolated pockets of the peninsular region,” IMD said.
“A below-normal rainfall is predicted in east and northeast India this year, while normal to above normal precipitation is expected over most parts of northwest, central and peninsular regions,” IMD said.
