As a country for the monsoon season, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday released a careful approach to May, warning of the above normal temperature and a potential increase in heatwave events in many areas.
While northern India is likely to receive up-to-high rainfall, other parts, especially northwest, central and northeast-May experience, under dryer-to-normal circumstances, IMD Director General Mritunjaya Mohapatra said in a virtual press conference on Wednesday.
According to IMD DG, in April 2025, sharp weather contradictions were observed. This month was the 50th dry April since 1901. Nevertheless, southern and central India recorded enough rainfall. The southern peninsular region experienced its 13th highest April rainfall since 1901 and the 5th highest since 2001, while Central India recorded its 28th highest April.
The temperature continued to rise during this month. The maximum daily temperature across India was recorded for April 8th for April, while the minimum temperature was 9th. Most regions of Northwest, Central and Northeast India were recorded normally above normal day temperatures, and some areas in peninsular and pre-middle areas avoided the worst from heat.
In particular, there was a sharp increase in heatwave activity during April. The most difficult killed in western India, Rajasthan and Gujarat had 6 to 11 heat days experience, which is much higher than an average of 2 to 3. Eastern Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha recorded 4 to 6 heatwave days, while Maharashtra and nearby areas were seen slightly lower than normal.
IMD reported a major heatwave in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh from 3 to 10 April. Closing 72 days of heatweaves or severe heat conditions in various meteorological subdivisions in the country, later after low but acute heatwaves.
Looking forward, May is also expected to bring hot weather. IMD forecast maximum temperature in most parts of India, except for a few areas in the southern peninsular and eastern regions where the temperature can be normal or slightly below. However, the minimum temperature is likely to remain nationwide high.
The number of heatwave days is also expected to increase.
IMD has estimated 1 to 4 days additional heatwaves in major areas including Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal, as well as Gujarat, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telishra, Telangana and parts of North.
The possibility of rain will be mixed in May. Northern India is expected to receive above-normal rainfall, which is higher than a long-term average of 64.1 mm, but normal rainfall is expected in parts of North-West, Central and North-East India. Somewhere else, rainfall is up to normal from normal.
Meanwhile, ocean and atmospheric indicators remain neutral, enso-neutral conditions are expected to remain through northern summer. The Indian Ocean bipolar (IOD) is also estimated to be in a neutral stage. (AI)