States record severe heat weeks ahead of schedule

Severe heatwave conditions have begun sweeping across eastern and western India unusually early in the season, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in several regions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned on Saturday.

- Jayashree Nandi

At least last year, the first such severe heatwave conditions were recorded only in early April.

Areas experiencing heatwave to severe heatwave conditions include Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra, Odisha, Saurashtra, Kutch, Telangana, and Rayalaseema, with Jharsuguda in Odisha recording the country's highest temperature at 41.8°C on Friday. On Saturday, the highest temperature across the country was recorded at Boudh in Odisha at 42.5°C.

"It is still early for severe heat wave episodes. But occasionally in some years we see such patterns in March. Otherwise, it is normally seen in April and May," a senior IMD official said, noting that last year the first severe heatwave was recorded on April 5, 2024, in Odisha.

In the Capital, Safdarjung recorded a maximum of 36.2°C on Friday, a whopping 7.5. degrees above normal for this time of the year. A spell of rain later in the evening however brought down temperatures, with Saturday recording a peak of 33°C, which was 4.1 degrees above normal.