World
India
Mumbai Heatwave Alert: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow warning for the entire Konkan belt, which includes Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Navi Mumbai, for the next three days. The warning comes as temperatures in the region have risen 4-5 degrees Celsius above normal and are expected to remain high until tomorrow, according to IMD officials stated.
Heatwave-Like Conditions Detected
IMD further stated that on February 26, temperatures could rise by an additional 1-2 degrees Celsius, further intensifying the heat. A slight drop of 1-2 degrees is expected on February 27 and 28, but the relief will be marginal, with overall temperatures remaining significantly high.
Although there has been no official declaration of a heatwave, weather stations such as Santacruz have reported parameters consistent with heatwave conditions, sources said. The Konkan region is currently experiencing extreme heat, resembling a heatwave scenario, the sources added.
Western Disturbances to Impact North India
Meanwhile, IMD Scientist Dr. Soma Sen Roy spoke about the impact of Western disturbances on the North Indian region. “Rainfall will start increasing over the Western Himalayan region. We have issued heavy rainfall warnings for this area from February 26 to 28,” she told ANI.
Dr. Roy also noted a fluctuation in temperatures due to these disturbances. “We are expecting an increase in maximum temperature across North India over the next two days. Thereafter, temperatures are likely to drop as cloud cover develops over the region,” she added.
IMD’s Earlier Prediction on Heatwave, Rising Temperatures
The current weather patterns align with IMD’s previous forecast. In January, the department predicted above-normal temperatures and below-normal rainfall for February. The first month of the year was also recorded as unusually warm and dry.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had earlier stated that most parts of India would likely experience below-normal rainfall, except for regions in west-central, peninsular, and northwest India. He also highlighted that India received an average of 4.5 mm of rainfall in January, marking it as the fourth lowest since 1901 and the third lowest since 2001, as reported by PTI.
With inputs from agencies.
