NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department on Monday forecast cold wave days for the central part of the country over the next three months starting January. During the period, the temperature is also likely to be above normal minimum, it said.
Notably, the cold wave starts when the minimum temperature plunges to 4°C or less, and termed ‘severe’ cold wave when it dips to 2°C or below. The condition should continue for three straight days for it to be considered as one cold wave event.
The below-normal cold wave days mean this season there would be lesser number of cold wave days than the previous year’s winter, the IMD said. Above-normal rainfall is likely over most parts of the country except some pockets of north and northeast India.
According to Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General, IMD, “India’s wheat growing region didn’t receive enough rainfall till December but the deficit will be made up in upcoming months with above normal rainfall, which will also help the crop.”
Interestingly, the maximum and minimum temperatures in the country are preternatural. The minimum temperatures are above normal while maximum temperatures are below normal. Most of the northern region has minimum temperatures above 2-4°C.
Similarly, the maximum temperatures are -1°C to -7°C below the normal temperatures. As per the IMD, El Nino is expected through the northern hemisphere winter 2023-24. A transition to ENSO-neutral is anticipated in April-June 2024.
FACTBOX
2023 – A Catastrophic Year
The IMD observed 2023 was a climatically catastrophic year. Around 2300 people died in climate-related disasters like flood, heatwaves and thunderstorm and lightning.
It was the second warmest year on record since 1901. However, this was lower than the highest warming observed in India during 2016.
The IMD observed that the last six months (June to December) 2023 was the warmest period since 1901. There were four months --- August, September, November and December of 2023 considered as the warmest since 1901.
Apart from warming, there was also above-normal cyclone activity observed over the North Indian Ocean in the year 2023.
There were 6 cyclones formed over the north Indian Ocean. Of these, 4 cyclones – Mocha, Hamoon, Midhili, and Michaung formed over the Bay of Bengal & 2 cyclones Viz. Biparjoy and Tej formed over the Arabian Sea.
In addition to Tropical Cyclones, other extreme weather events like extremely heavy rainfall, floods, landslides, lightning, thunderstorms, droughts, etc, were also experienced in various parts of the country.
