Weather Report: Day temperatures to be above normal in North India till June

New Delhi, Apr 02: Day temperatures are likely to be above normal over north and east India from April to June, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its summer forecast.

The IMD said below normal seasonal maximum temperatures are likely over most of south India, parts of east India, northeast and extreme north India.

"During the upcoming hot weather season (April to June), above normal seasonal maximum temperatures are likely over most of the subdivisions of north, northwest and few subdivisions of east-central India," the IMD said.

The IMD said the probability forecast for minimum temperatures indicate that above normal minimum (night) temperatures are likely over a few subdivisions of west coast -- Konkan and Goa and Coastal Karnataka -- and west India -- Saurashtra and Kutch.

"However, below normal seasonal maximum temperatures are likely over most of the subdivisions of south peninsular India and few subdivisions of east, northeast and extreme north India," the IMD added.

The east-central India divisions comprise states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. The east and northeast divisions comprise the Gangetic West Bengal, Sikkim and sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Assam while the extreme north India comprise the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The IMD also said currently, moderate La Niña conditions are prevailing over equatorial Pacific and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are below normal over central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. The latest forecast indicates warming of SSTs during the coming season and there is a possibility of transition of La Niña conditions to ENSO neutral conditions during the forthcoming hot weather season.

El Nino is associated with the heating of the Pacific waters while La Nina is linked to cooling of the cooling of Pacific waters. Both have an impact on the Indian subcontinent, especially the monsoon.

Several parts of the country saw temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius in March.

This is the second summer forecast by the IMD. Earlier this month, it had issued a forecast for March to May.

It said during March to May, day temperatures are likely to be above normal in north, northeast, parts of east and west India. However, it has forecast a likelihood of below normal temperatures in south and the adjoining central India.