Hot Belt of 40°C Expands: Covers Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana and Rayalaseema; Relief Likely

The heat is catching up with different parts of the country earlier than normal this season. The number of warm nights is also on the rise. A heat wave struck both the coastline and interiors much before the anticipated dates. Overall, the months of February and March, so far, have behaved unusually warm, hot and humid over large parts, albeit more prominently in the central and eastern pockets of the country.

A heat wave for the plains is considered when the temperatures reach 40°C and the departure from the normal is 4.5°C or more. For the coastal stations, the heat wave starts when the day temperature peaks at 37°C or more, with a similar departure from the normal. Similarly, warm nights are announced when the maximum temperature reaches 40°C or more and the minimum temperature departure from the normal exceeds 4.5°C. Departures of more than 6.4°C from the normal amount to severe heat waves and very warm nights, respectively.

Day temperatures have been recorded in excess of 40°C in the states of Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in the past 2-3 days. Yesterday, the broad belt of 40°C and above included: Bolangir-41.1°C, Sundargarh-40.1°C, Titlagarh-41.5°C, Jarsuguda-40.8°C, Akola-41.1°C, Amraoti-40.2°C, Wardha-40.2°C, Chandrapur-40°C, Bir-40.2°C, Jeur-40°C, Sholapur-40.8°C, Nizamabad-40.1°C, Medak-40.1°C, Anantapur-40.7°C, Nandyal-40.5°C and Kurnool-40°C.

The month of February 2025 was the hottest in the last 125 years. Heat wave struck Konkan & Goa, including Mumbai, in February itself. Boudh in Odisha clocked a high of 43.6°C on 16th March 2025. Warm nights have been observed, quite early this season, over Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra and some parts of Gujarat. As a norm, such conditions emerge towards the later part of March and more so, over Maharashtra, Odisha and Jharkhand.

Some relief is likely, coming up shortly, especially over North Odisha, Jharkhand, Vidarbha and Telangana. A trough is extending from Odisha to Vidarbha across Chhattisgarh. Another trough over the Peninsular India will extend from Marathwada to the interiors of Tamil Nadu. Under the combined influence of these features, rain and thundershowers are likely between 21st and 24th March over Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Rayalaseema. Hailstorms are quite likely at some places.  The southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka will also have rain and thundershower activity, more pronounced on 22nd and 23rd March. The upcoming wet spell will ease out the extreme weather conditions, albeit temporarily and provide the much-needed relief.