E-Paper
Hot March a bit colder in India
India in March recorded a mean temperature of 24.92 degrees C, -.29 below normal.
Last month was the second hottest March since 2016 globally but India was among a few countries to record below-average temperatures. The average global land and ocean surface temperature for March was 1.16 degrees C above the 20th-century average, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a statement on April 13. NOAA is a US commerce department agency that focuses on the conditions of the oceans, major waterways, and the atmosphere.
The 10 warmest months of March have been since 1990. March 2020 was also the 44th consecutive March and the 423rd consecutive month with temperatures above the 20th-century average, according to NOAA.
India in March recorded a mean temperature of 24.92 degrees C, -.29 below normal. The maximum average temperature was 31.083 degree C (-0.769 degree C below normal). The average minimum temperature of 18.75 degrees C was 0.2 degree C below normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
NOAA’s temperature anomaly map shows India recorded below-average temperatures in March (1 to 2 degrees C below normal) along with parts of Africa and North America. India also recorded below-normal temperatures from January to March while parts of Europe, Russia, Central Asia experienced record heat in March.
“This is mainly because of a high number of western disturbances (WDs)and rains in March which led to cooler temperatures,” said IMD’s director general M Mohapatra.
In April, back-to-back WDs have led to higher than normal rains in many parts of India and prevented the rise in maximum temperatures. Between March 1 and April 20, northwestern and central India recorded 46% and 137% excess rains. There were six WDs in March and four so far in April against a normal of two to three. At least two more WDs are expected on April 23 and 27.
WDs are storms that originate over the Mediterranean region and bring rain.
Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) climate scientist Roxy Mathew Koll said while global temperatures were at a record high during the first quarter of 2020, temperatures in India were generally cooler than average, except in the southern peninsula. “IMD-IITM forecasts indicate that this may continue until the end of April. Beyond that, global agencies indicate normal average temperatures during May-July. This may be due to conditions in the Pacific as there is no coherent sign of an El Niño developing during early summer. El Niño, if present, can trigger heatwaves over the Indian subcontinent,” said Koll.
El Nino is a weather phenomenon characterised by warm ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean that is sometimes associated with drought in the subcontinent.
Heatwaves have so far been recorded only in parts of central Maharashtra and Vidarbha in April. But this is likely to change in May. “Our climate models are indicating that May and June will have above-normal temperatures and heatwave conditions. They may not be the hottest on record but would definitely be above average,” said Union earth sciences ministry secretary M Rajeevan.
Mohapatra said they had forecast above-average temperatures for March-April and May, which did not happen. “March and April both have been cooler but from the models, it seems like temperatures will rise moderately in May pulling up the average temperature for the season,” said Mohapatra.
The April-May-June season is likely to be warmer than normal in most parts of the country, according to IMD’s seasonal outlook released on March 30. The IMD had forecast the same for March-April- May but the forecast has not been accurate so far.
The frequency of heatwaves is also likely to be slightly above normal during the season, according to the outlook. Regions likely to have average maximum temperatures of 0.5 to 1 degree C above normal include eastern and western Rajasthan, western Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Konkan and Goa, central Maharashtra, Marathawada, north and south interior Karnataka, coastal Karnataka, Rayalaseema, and Kerala. This would mean a rise in heat-related health complications and deaths.
Gandhinagar’s Indian Institute of Public Health director Dilip Mavlankar said above-normal heatwave could mean extremely difficult conditions for people living in small houses in the Covid-19 containment zones. “We have to monitor those in slums in very small units especially if their movement is restricted. Additional water should be diverted by municipalities to these areas to deal with the heat and for hand washing. In the West, water is rationed from swimming pools or gardens to deal with heat episodes.”
