2.4.22

This March was country’s hottest in 122 years: IMD data

Last month was the hottest March in India’s recorded history since 1901, IMD data shows. It surpassedthe all-time average maximum temperature record of March 2010. India’s average monthly day temperatureduring March 2010 had surged to 33.09C. Last month, it was 33.1C as against the normal of 31.24C.

Besides, the average minimum temperature last month was 20.24C—third highest since 1901—as against the normal of 18.87C (based on the climatological period 1981-2010), as per IMD. “The second half of March this year had markedly high day temperatures in several parts of the country, but minimal rain spells,” IMD scientist Rajendra Jenamani said.

Several stations, including Delhi, Chandrapur, Jammu, Dharamsala, Patiala, Dehradun, Gwalior, Kota and Pune, recorded recordbreaking day temperatures in March 2022 . “Hill stations in the western Himalayan region also recorded very high day temperatures recently, being above normal by 7C-11C for several days.

A maximum temperature of 34C-35C in March in a hill station like Dehradun, Dharamsala or Jammu is indeed a high value,” IMD scientist Rajendra Jenamani said.

As per the IMD, the observed mean temperature for the country during March 2022 was 26.67C as against the normal of 25.06C (based on the climatological period 1981-2010). The mean temperature during the month was second highest in India’s recorded history.

The month was also the hottest ever March for northwest India, and second hottest for central India. Both the regions had witnessed consecutive heatwaves this year as early as the start of summer or the pre-monsoon season.

IITM scientist Roxy Mathew Koll said, “Over the past few decades, global warming has been on an accelerated pace and its marks can be seen in any single day of global weather since the 2000s.”

India has now recorded its two hottest months of March within a span of 13 years.

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