NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department on Friday predicted that this winter will be warmer and is likely to have fewer cold wave days. It means the occurrence of cold waves over the north, northwest, central, east and northeast is likely to be below normal between December 2023 and February 2024. Besides, the monthly rainfall is likely to be normal.
Significantly, November became the warmest month since 1901 as the post-monsoon rainfall deficit was around 19% across India. This newspaper had written in early November that winter will be warmer due to stronger El Nino conditions — a climatic phenomenon due to the warming of the Pacific Ocean, leading to weaker monsoon in India.
In its Seasonal Outlook for the temperatures during winter, the IMD reiterated that moderate to strong El Niño conditions and above average sea surface temperatures are prevailing in most parts of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which are likely to continue during winter. The All India mean temperature recorded its highest value since 1901 in August, September and November this year. The second highest was in February.
The weather office predicted above normal rainfall over most parts of the northwest, adjoining areas of central and east India and some areas of extreme south peninsular India. The December rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, Rayalaseema, Kerala and Mahe, and south interior Karnataka is most likely to be normal, that is 69-131% of the long period average.