Above normal temperature in Northwest, Central India: Weather Office

New Delhi, Apr 01: Northwest and central India and parts of the northeast are expected to experience above-normal maximum temperatures in April, the weather office said on Thursday, PTI reported.

Normal to below normal maximum temperatures are likely in south peninsular India, many parts of the eastern parts of the country and the adjoining areas of the northeast, India Meteorological Department Director-General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.

India experienced two heatwaves in March, the first between March 11 and 21 when the maximum temperatures hovered five to 11 degrees above normal.

The second heatwave started on March 26 and is continuing with the highest day temperatures being five to nine degrees above normal.

Except for coastal peninsular areas, almost all of India received deficit rainfall in March. Normal rainfall for March is 39.3 mm, which is the long period average of rainfall between 1961 and 2010.

India is expected to receive normal rainfall of the long period average (LPA) in April, the weather office said.

It said northwest and central India and some parts of northeast India were expected to receive below-normal rainfall in April.

"Normal to above-normal rainfall is likely over many parts of south Peninsula, western parts of central India and parts of northeast India," the weather office said.

(PTI)