Northern parts of the Indo-Gangetic plains, Gujarat, Maharashtra and several eastern coastal states are expected to witness a higher-than-normal number of heatwave days this year, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Monday.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Mohapatra said several climatologically vulnerable regions are likely to record temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, even in places that may not officially experience heatwave conditions.
"There are climatologically prone areas -- for example, the normal temperature in the Vidarbha region (Maharashtra) is around 41 to 42 degrees Celsius at this time of year. Similarly, the normal temperature in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana touches 40 to 44 degrees Celsius towards the month of May,” he said.
“Therefore, we should be prepared for such high-temperature days," he added.
On measures being taken to support vulnerable populations, the IMD chief said the department has created WhatsApp groups to share alerts with outdoor workers such as street vendors and agricultural labourers. Display boards have also been installed to warn people about heat conditions and precautions.
“The objective is to reach out to everyone and provide the forecast information generated by IMD. We provide information through government channels, including the Common Alert Protocol of the National Disaster Management Authority, which enables any person with a mobile phone to access the information,” Mohapatra said.
He said some sections of society may still lack mobile phones or quick access to IMD alerts, adding that there remains scope to reach such groups through innovative and traditional communication methods.
Referring to an example cited during his address at the Global Heat and Cooling Forum on Monday, Mohapatra said, “Associations of rickshaw pullers, street vendors, and domestic workers met us in Delhi last year, and requested information. We provided it through WhatsApp to their association secretaries, who then communicated it to their members. Display boards were also put up, indicating the occurrence of heat and the expected actions to be taken.”
According to Mohapatra, higher temperatures are expected every year, especially in April, May and the pre-monsoon period in June, although year-to-year variations may occur.
To address seasonal and short-term fluctuations, the IMD issues a seasonal heatwave outlook in advance, followed by an extended range forecast for the next four weeks every Thursday.
It also provides a seven-day district-level warning every day during the summer months.
The IMD released its first heatwave and summer temperature outlook for March, April and May at the end of February, and updated it for April, May and June on March 31.
According to the latest forecast, heatwave conditions are likely from April to June in many areas, particularly southern parts of West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, along with adjoining Chhattisgarh and Telangana.
Heatwave conditions are also expected across the Indo-Gangetic plains, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, besides southern Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, parts of Gujarat and northern Maharashtra, the weather department said.
