Heat Fury in February: Is India seeing an early summer?

Get your air conditioners ready, pack up the woolies, as India is welcoming a hot, hot summer. This is surprising for India, as not even a month ago half of the country was reeling under a cold wave.

The month of February has already seen a drastic rise in temperatures, with some parts of the country already running ahead of the curve as far as the onset of summer is concerned. And, if you think that this rise in temperatures is temporary, brace yourself as an even hotter March is a foregone conclusion.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has already issued its first heatwave alert for the Konkan and Kutch regions and relief is only expected by the middle of the week. Incidentally, this alert comes much earlier than usual, as heatwave alerts usually begin in March, and may suggest that India could skip the spring season entirely and enter directly into summer.

We take a look at just how hot it is across the country and what could be the repercussions of an early summer.

Maharashtra bakes

The meteorological department has issued a heatwave alert for the Raigad and Ratnagiri districts of coastal Maharashtra on Monday and Tuesday.

In a statement, the weather department said, “Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat will come under the influence of dry and hot anti-cyclonic winds blowing in from northern and northwestern India regions. This will affect the local weather and lead to a spike in the maximum temperatures, especially over Konkan-Goa and some pockets of Gujarat for another two days.”

Ratnagiri, on the western coast has already been burning up for the past one week; the maximum temperatures have been ranging between 37 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius.

Mumbai, the financial capital of India, too is witnessing sizzling heat. On Sunday the maximum temperature recorded by IMD Santacruz observatory was 36.5 degrees Celsius, which was six degrees above normal. IMD Colaba also recorded a maximum temperature of 34.2 degrees C which was four degrees more than the normal.

IMD scientist KS Hosalikar reacting to the weather, tweeted that such weather would continue for the next two days and asked people to avoid stepping out between 11 am and 2 pm when the heat is at its maximum.

#Heatwave alerts by IMD Mumbai @RMC_Mumbai for #Maharashtra, #Konkan area for 48 hrs.
Though Yellow Alerts, but still TC pl.
Avoid outside between 11-2pm if possible. Water bottle necessary.