Northwest India records highest temperature in 122 years
New Delhi, April 2: The temperature in Northwest India has reached its highest level in 122 years, although there will be a brief break from April 2 to April 4 before the temperature climbs again.
RK Jenamani, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said, "Northwest India has contributed to the highest temperature of 30.73 degrees Celsius which is the highest in 122 years. The temperature was continuously higher and the western Himalayan region recorded heatwave conditions."
"Along with this, Northeast India which normally gets thunderstorms did not receive much rain and because of that, Northeast India's minimum temperature is the highest in 122 years. It was 25.20 degrees Celsius," he continued.
According to Jenamani, India experienced an early heat wave, particularly in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
"IMD will keep a close watch to see if this trend sustains even in April and May as a dry spell is continuing and there is no hope of rainfall too. April will be hotter for Rajasthan, Gujarat, Central India and the western Himalayan region. There won't be any rainfall in the next ten days," he said.
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It shows that the average maximum temperature recorded in March 2022 was the highest ever in the last 122 years for the period 1901-2022, with 33.10 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous mark of 33.09 degrees Celsius set in 2010 for March.
Monthly mean temperatures in the country averaged 26.67 degrees Celsius, the second-highest since 1901. The warmest year on record was 2010 with 26.671 degrees Celsius. The average minimum temperature was the third highest at 20.24 degrees Celsius.
According to the IMD, the average maximum temperature in Northwest India during March 2022 will be the highest in the last 122 years, at 30.73 degrees Celsius (the previous high was 30.67 degrees Celsius in 2004), the average minimum temperature will be the second-highest at 15.26 degrees Celsius (the previous high was 15.4 degrees Celsius in 2010), and the mean temperature will be the second-highest at 22.99 degrees Celsius (the highest in last 122 years is 23.01 degrees Celsius in 2010).
Meanwhile, in eastern and northeastern Odisha, the average temperature was 25.20 degrees Celsius, the highest in 120 years.
"State had 96 per cent deficit in rainfall this March along with rapid dryness. Climate change and urbanization are adding to the severity of temperature," said Umashankar Das, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) at Bhubaneswar.
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-PTC News
