Expect severe temperatures and heatwaves in April-May, says Skymet's GP Sharma

Heatwave conditions are not expected over north and central India in March

India is likely to witness severe temperature and heatwaves in April-May, which will have an impact on India's water table, said a Skymet official.

In an interview with CNBC-TV18, GP Sharma, President, Skymet spoke about heatwave, El Nino, among other things.

Low water levels is the key reason for the early onset of summer.

Sharma further said that heatwave will particularly start with the central parts of India, "Although some southern regions already seeing persistent temperatures like 41°C," he added.

He also said, "The rains that we usually see in the southern parts around this time is zero." He further added that currently there are varying degrees of weather patterns, which aren't normally seen during this period (March-May).

Sharma further said, "What we normally see in April and May is that El Nino escalates further and the heatwave becomes little more prominent and severe."

Also Read | Preparing for a Hot Summer: Heatwave challenges and solutions ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2024

This period also coincides with the Lok Sabha elections in the country.

IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, earlier this month, said that the prevailing El Nino conditions -- the periodic warming of waters in the central Pacific Ocean -- will continue through the summer season and neutral conditions are likely to develop thereafter.

In India, heatwaves typically occur from March to June, and in some rare cases, extend till July. Heatwave conditions have been observed across northwest India, central, east, and north peninsular India, as well as parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Rajasthan and the Vidarbha region, in particular, experience temperatures exceeding 45°C.

India experienced extreme heatwaves in 2016 and 2022, with temperatures soaring above 50°C in some regions. This was followed by the harsh summer of 2023, which became the second warmest year on record.