E-Paper
Heatwave conditions in 8 states, cyclone Asani likely to form on March 21
The weather forecasting agency said that no significant change in maximum temperatures is expected over most parts of northwest India and Gujarat state during the next 48 hours.
Heatwave conditions are likely to prevail in eight states, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), as temperatures soared in most of the north, west and central India. The MeT department has predicted heatwave to severe heatwave conditions in some parts of West and East Rajasthan for today.
Heatwave conditions are also very likely to prevail in isolated pockets over the Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat region, West Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha on March 17 and over interior Odisha and Telangana on March 16-17.
On Wednesday, IMD said that no significant change in maximum temperatures is expected over most parts of northwest India and Gujarat state during the next 48 hours and fall by about 2 degrees Celsius thereafter.
Meanwhile, a low-pressure area is brewing over the southwest Indian Ocean which is expected to intensify into a cyclone by early next week. The forecasts suggest that the low-pressure area is likely to move east-northeastwards and become a well-marked low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea around March 19 morning. before intensifying into a depression.
According to the weather forecasting department, the depression is expected to further intensify into a cyclonic storm on March 21 and continue to move north-northwestwards towards Bangladesh and adjoining north Myanmar till March 22. The cyclone will be named Asani as suggested by Sri Lanka.
"Sea condition is very likely to become rough to very rough over Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal during 19th March. It would become very rough to high over the same region on 20th March," IMD said, advising fishermen not to venture into southeast Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea areas from March 17-18.
