The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its summer forecast that southern India is likely to see temperatures below normal seasonal maximum temperatures. In their forecast for April to June months, the IMD noted that subdivisions east, northeast and east-central India, alongside the southern region will see below recorded average temperatures. In their forecast, the IMD denoted that the temperatures in the southern states will drop from the average recorded temperature by 0.17 to 0.44 degrees.
"However, below normal seasonal maximum temperatures are likely over most of the subdivisions of south peninsular India and few subdivisions of east, northeast and extreme north India," the IMD said.
It also noted that day temperatures are likely to be above normal over north and east India from April to June in the forecast. "During the upcoming hot weather season (April to June), above normal seasonal maximum temperatures are likely over most of the subdivisions of north, northwest and few subdivisions of east-central India,” the forecast read.
In its forecast, IMD mentioned that La Nina conditions are below normal over the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. There is a possibility of transition of La Nina conditions to ENSO neutral conditions during the forthcoming hot weather season, it said in the forecast.
La Nina is associated with the cooling of the Pacific waters and El Nino is its anthesis. The phenomenon has an impact on the weather of the Indian sub-continent.
Several parts of the country saw temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius in March.
Earlier in the month, the IMD had told that day temperatures are likely to be above normal in north, northeast, parts of east and west India, in its summer forecast for March to May. However, it had forecasted a likelihood of below-normal temperatures in the south and adjoining central India. It had forecasted above maximum temperatures in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Gujarat, coastal Maharashtra, Goa and coastal Andhra Pradesh.