Maximum temperature clocking in at 1.86°C above normal in march
New Delhi: India, on average, recorded the hottest March since 1901 with the maximum temperature at 1.86°C above normal, two media reports said citing an analysis by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The average rainfall over the country was also found to be 71% less than its Long Period Average (LPA) during the month, as per the reports.
While the average maximum was observed at 33.10ºC (which was 1.86ºC above normal), the average minimum temperature of 20.24ºC was the third highest with a difference of 1.37ºC, the reports said. The mean temperature was the second highest with an anomaly 1.61ºC since 1901.
The observations are against the normal of 31.24ºC, 18.87ºC and 25.06ºC based on the period 1981-2010, as per the report.
The northwest region recorded its highest average maximum (clocking 3.91ºC above normal), the central region recorded its second-warmest March with a 1.62ºC difference.
The mean temperature over the South Peninsular region, meanwhile, witnessed its fourth-highest with an anomaly of 0.59ºC since 1901.
Meanwhile, the country, on average, recorded 8.9 mm rain for the month of March, which is 71% less than its Long Period Average (LPA) of 30.4 mm.
The rainfall last month was the third-lowest since 1901 after the years 1909 (7.2 mm) and 1908 (8.7 mm).
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature at Safdarjung touched 34°C on Tuesday and 35°C by Wednesday, with other areas also recording a slightly higher jump.
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