Pune: Maharashtra Braces for Severe Heat Wave as IMD Issues Warnings Across the State

Pune, 25th April 2024: As March drew to a close, the summer heat began to intensify in Maharashtra, leading to shocking heat waves for the citizens throughout April. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for heat waves in North India, the East Coast, South India, and the Konkan coast for the next five days.

Since March 22nd, the mercury has consistently hovered around 40 degrees Celsius in the state. Mid-April saw temperatures soaring to 42 and 43 degrees Celsius, particularly in Vidarbha and North Maharashtra, with Akola recording a scorching 44 degrees on April 19th. While there was a slight decrease in temperatures over the past few days, a renewed warning signals a return to rising temperatures, influenced mainly by the warming trends in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha, impacting Vidarbha and Marathwada.

According to the IMD, heat waves are anticipated for the next five days, primarily in the Ganges River Basin, West Bengal, Odisha, the East Coast, and South India, with severe heatwave conditions expected in West Bengal, Odisha, and Telangana. Additionally, Maharashtra, particularly along the Konkan coast, is forecasted to experience rising temperatures due to humid hot winds.

Dr Anupam Kashyapi, a retired scientist from the IMD, explains that the influence of cold westerly winds initially kept temperatures below average in North India at the end of March. However, as the cold winds waned, temperatures in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and the Ganges River Basin rose to between 38 and 41 degrees Celsius in early April. Over the past week, the Ganges River Basin has experienced increasing heat waves, with predictions indicating continued above-average temperatures for West Bengal and Odisha in the remaining days of April.

In addition to the heat, IMD forecasts light to moderate rains with isolated thunderstorms, lightning, and wind speeds of 30 to 40 kmph across most parts of the state over the next five days. There is also a possibility of hailstorms in some areas of Western Maharashtra and Marathwada.

Recent temperatures in the state have seen Malegaon recording the highest at 42 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, with Solapur at 41.2, Beed at 40.1, Akola at 40.4, Amravati at 40, Washim at 40.6, and Wardha at 40.1 degrees Celsius. However, temperatures elsewhere remained below 40 degrees, with averages settling at 38 degrees in Central Maharashtra, 32 degrees in coastal areas, and 39 degrees in Marathwada and Vidarbha.