A severe heat wave (loo) may occur in all the states of North and Central India around Holi this year. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Holi this time is in the last week of March (25th March) and the temperature in South India has increased since the beginning of February. The situation is such that in all the states of South India to Maharashtra and Odisha, the temperature during the day is being recorded 4-6°C higher above average i.e. above 33°C.
This trend started being recorded from the first week of February itself, which was seen starting in the third week in the last two years. Meteorologists believe that the trend of increasing temperature in the pre-monsoon season in the states of North and Central India for the last two years will continue this time.
A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has found that in the last 45 years in the country, out of 540 consecutive months, not a single month has passed without any extreme weather event. During 2023 itself, the country experienced extreme weather events for 318 out of 365 days and no state remained untouched.
More than 100 incidents of extreme weather occurred in eight states of the country. Maximum number of such incidents occurred in Himachal for 149 days. Madhya Pradesh was troubled by weather events for 141 days and Kerala and UP for 119 days each. Various states of the country faced heavy rains and floods for a maximum of 208 days.