Brace for a warmer winter in India this year, says IMD

M Rajeevan, secretary, Ministry of Earth Science (MoES) had said last week that 2019 is set to become the second-most warmest recorded calendar year ever.

The winter season this year would be warmer than usual over the country, said the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Friday. In its statement for Seasonal Temperature Outlook, issued for the period between December and February, the weather agency said the seasonal average minimum temperature would be above normal by over one degree Celsius. The prediction is for all parts of the country except the northern-most region.

The IMD ruled out the possibility of any severe cold wave spells over the Core Cold Wave Zone (CWZ) during the next three months.

The regions falling under CWZ include Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana and meteorological sub-divisions of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha and Saurashtra.

“The minimum temperatures would remain relatively above normal during December to February season over the CWZ,” the statement suggested.

During his visit to the city earlier in the week, M Rajeevan, secretary, Ministry of Earth Science (MoES) had said that 2019 is set to become the second-most warmest recorded calendar year ever.

“The El Nino conditions continue to prevail and it may keep the temperatures above the normal mark,” he had remarked. Presently, warm ENSO-neutral conditions are prevailing over the equatorial Pacific ocean.

“The models forecast that the conditions will cool down and turn to ENSO-neutral conditions during the upcoming winter season,” the latest forecast read.

As per the Extended Range Prediction forecasts issued by the Met office, dry but warm conditions are expected to prevail over most parts of the country.

“The minimum temperatures would remain markedly above normal over all of the country, and the condition will prevail till December 11. However, along Central India and western regions along with some pockets in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and southern Jammu and Kashmir, the maximum temperatures could remain 2 degrees to 5 degrees below normal during this period,” the latest Extended Range Predictions issued on November 28 said.