A man carries a can of water in front of scattered clouds during sunrise in Gurugram, Haryana on Saturday. | photo Credit: –
In India, many parts of the country except North-East India and some other parts are likely to have below normal ‘maximum’ temperatures during March, while most parts of the country, except parts of North-West and Southern regions, are likely to have above normal ‘minimum’ temperatures during March.
Releasing the monthly forecast during an online press conference, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General M Mahapatra said maximum temperatures are likely to be below normal to normal over many parts of India, except north-east India, adjoining eastern states and parts of the western Himalayas, central and peninsular regions, where above normal maximum temperatures may be felt.
He said minimum temperatures are likely to be above normal in most parts of the country except northwest India, south Peninsula and parts of the east coast, where minimum temperatures are likely to be below normal during March.
The IMD has also predicted the number of heatwave days to be higher than normal in most parts of the country between March-May. This suggests that considering the comparatively cool March, more hot days may be observed, especially during April–May.
Mohapatra said normal to above normal rainfall is likely over many parts of the country (except north-east and north-west and parts of east-central India), which may have an impact on not much rise in day (maximum) temperatures in March.
Warmer than normal days are predicted in West Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, South and East Maharashtra, East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and parts of North Karnataka and North Tamil Nadu.
The IMD DG also said that rainfall across India in February this year was the lowest since 2001 and the third lowest since 1901. “No cold wave was recorded across the country during February,” he said.
Additionally, the IMD said rainfall over the ‘East and North-East’ weather sub-division (2.6 mm) was the second lowest since 1901; Similarly, the north-west region (at 5.9 mm) had the third lowest rainfall since 1901. It said that rainfall in both these areas in February was the lowest since 2001.
Mahapatra said that in the second fortnight of February, high day and night temperatures were observed on many days. “Day temperatures were 5-8°C above normal, with maximum temperatures ranging between 30-37°C over parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan and coastal Karnataka during February 13-15 and again during February 25-27.
Published on February 28, 2026
