Early heatwave hits western India, temperatures soar across north: IMD

Several parts of India witnessed unusually high temperatures for early March , with heatwave to severe heatwave conditions reported in parts of western India even as northern regions recorded markedly above normal temperatures, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The weather department said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed in many places in the Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat , along with isolated areas in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. These conditions are unusual for this time of the year and indicate the early onset of intense summer heat .

Several northern states also recorded markedly above normal maximum temperatures , in some places more than 5°C above the seasonal average . Regions including Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi saw particularly sharp departures from normal temperatures. Similar conditions were reported in parts of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, as well as coastal areas such as Konkan and Goa.

In Gujarat, major cities like Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar experienced particularly intense heat. Ahmedabad recorded temperatures 7.2°C above normal , while Gandhinagar saw readings 6.4°C higher than usual , placing them firmly in the heatwave to severe heatwave category .

The IMD said the heatwave conditions are likely to persist in parts of Gujarat until March 13 , particularly in Saurashtra and Kutch. Isolated pockets across the Gujarat region may continue to experience heatwave conditions during this period.

However, the weather department has indicated that the intensity of the heatwave may gradually reduce after March 13 . A fresh western disturbance expected to affect northwest India from March 14 could bring cloudiness, light rainfall and thunderstorms in parts of the region, leading to a slight dip in temperatures across some northern states.

Despite this expected change, meteorologists say temperatures across many parts of north and central India are likely to remain above normal , signalling a warmer than usual start to the summer season .

Earlier, in its seasonal outlook issued on February 28, the IMD had warned that above normal heatwave days are expected across most parts of the country between March and May, raising concerns that India could face a prolonged and intense summer this year.