India recorded hottest March since 1901; what caused severe heatwave?
India recorded the hottest March days in 121 years as the scorching summer arrived early this year, says an analysis by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). It said March 2022 was the hottest March in the country's known history since 1901. The weather agency added that a protracted dry spell has resulted in extreme heat across northwest India.
Why does this story matter?
The meteorological department has issued a heatwave warning and urged people to exercise caution. Dehydration, faintness, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat strokes can occur due to an extreme heatwave. As a result, it is strongly advised that everyone, especially the most susceptible categories of people--newborns, the elderly, and individuals with chronic conditions--take precautions and minimize heat exposure.
Mercury neared 40 degrees Celsius in Delhi
The highest temperature at the Pitampura station in Delhi on March 20 was 39.9 degrees Celsius, making it the warmest day of the year. Moreover, Delhi's average minimum temperature in March 2022 was 17.6 degrees Celsius, the second-highest average in the past 72 years. Maximum temperatures were 4.5 degrees above average in most regions of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
March temperature in Mumbai
According to the IMD Santacruz observatory, the maximum temperature in Mumbai neared 40 degrees Celsius in March, the highest for the year being 39.4 degrees Celsius. Mumbai saw temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius in March in 2021, 2019, 2018, 2015, and 2013, according to IMD records. The highest March day in Mumbai was March 28, 1956, when the temperature reached 41.7 degrees Celsius.
Is the surge in March unprecedented?
The high temperature in March is not unprecedented in any way. The March temperatures in 2020 and 2021 also broke records in the country. March 2021 was the third warmest in 121 years in terms of monthly average maximum temperature, according to IMD.
What do experts say?
According to experts, the rising temperature in March is a global phenomenon. "Globally also, the hottest years have been among the last two decades," TOI quoted Rajendra Jenamani, scientist, National Weather Forecasting Centre at IMD, as saying. "Climate change is impacting severe weather intensity and duration, even in India — be it in terms of heatwaves, cyclone intensity or even heavy rainfall," he said.
What is the prediction for April?
The India Meteorological Department has predicted above-normal maximum temperatures throughout northwest and central India, as well as areas of the northeast, in April. According to IMD Director-General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, normal to below-average maximum temperatures are predicted across the south peninsula, many sections of the eastern regions of the nation, and the neighboring territories of the northeast.
