New Delhi: Heatwave conditions are likely to continue over North-West India in the first week of June while there will be above normal rainfall over North-west, Central and Peninsular regions while low rainfall in the North-West, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Dr Mrityunjay Mohapatra. The heatwave conditions have prevailed over North-West India since May 16 and are likely to continue over the next two days. But from May 30, the intensity of heat wave over the North West will decrease, but still, heatwave conditions could prevail over the next few days, said the IMD DG.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, the top meteorologist noted that "for June, we are expecting that heatwave could prevail for the first four to seven days over the North-West India. But, overall the number of heatwave days in June in the North-West could be slightly higher as compared to the previous years."
In connection with the monsoon, he predicted above-normal rainfall over the country as a whole during the monsoon season from June to September this year." "The southwest monsoon rainfall over the country as a whole is likely to be 106% of the long-period average with a model error of 4%. Thus, above-normal rainfall is most likely over the country as a whole," said Mohapatra.
He further said that North-West, Central and Peninsular regions will have above-normal rainfall while North-East India will have below-normal rainfall activity. According to IMD prediction, "Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, parts of Jammu Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand will have below normal rainfall activity during the monsoon season," he said.
When asked to comment on the most visible changes that he has observed with reference to climate change, he replied "Climate change is an ongoing phenomenon. As part of this, there is a rise in temperature, which causes global warming. In India also, we've seen a rise in surface temperature and as a result of that, there is an increase in certain extreme weather impacts, including an increment in heatwave days or an increase in heavy rainfall while there is a decrease in light of moderate rainfall. But, overall the total amount of rainfall in the country has been the same." To address this climatic change, "the IMD has gone for increasing the observational system, including radars, and various sensors. And also, we've enhanced in the Ministry of Earth Science the modelling system. And as a result, IMD has been able to detect any climatic activity."
Read more: Heatwave To Continue In North India For Next 3-4 Days, Gradual Decline Thereafter: IMD
