'Heatwave Days' to Double In May, Warns IMD, Lok Sabha Polls Likely to be Affected

New Delhi: In no respite from scorching heat, the northwest, east and southern parts of the country are likely to face double of ‘heatwave days’ as they generally do in the month of May, the Indian meteorological Department (IMD) said. 

The Met department added that most parts of the country will experience above-normal day temperature in the coming days of this month. 

States including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, parts of south peninsular India face on an average three ‘heatwave days’ in May. However, these pockets may get around five to seven such days this month, warned the weather bureau in its monthly forecast. 

Heatwaves to Hit Poll Campaigns

With two phases of polling already over, the month of May will be crucial for the remaining phases of the Lok Sabha elections amid scorching heat. 

The monthly weather forecast, especially, holds massive significance as the affected regions will be the focus points for the high-octane campaigns in the coming days with mass rallies and door-to-door campaigns on cards for political parties. 

The Met department predicted that regions including south Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada and Gujarat region will witness 8 to 11 ‘heatwave days’ against their average of three days in May.

“An average of three heatwave days are generally expected in May. But this year, the number of heatwave days are expected to be higher over northwest India and east and peninsular region also,” said M Mohapatra, director general, IMD.

The heatwave conditions are declared when the temperature breaches the 40 degree Celsius threshold in the plains, 37°C in coastal areas and over 30°C in hilly regions and the deviation from normal temperature is between 4.5 and 6.4 deg C above the average maximum. If these conditions continue for two consecutive days, a heatwave is declared.