The India Meteorological Department said on Saturday that India recorded its hottest March in 122 years, with the country witnessing a severe heat wave this month.
The Meteorological Department attributed the unusual heat to the absence of an active Western Disturbance over North India and lack of rainfall due to any major system over South India.
The entire country recorded 8.9 mm of rainfall, which was 71 per cent less than its long period average of 30.4 mm. This was the third lowest rainfall in March since 1901, after 7.2 mm in 1901 and 8.7 mm in 1908.
“The average maximum temperature (33.10 °C) recorded across the country in March 2022 is the highest in the last 122 years,” the IMD said in a statement.
In March 2010, the maximum temperature of the country was recorded at 33.09 °C.
The Meteorological Department said the country’s mean average temperature of 26.67 degrees Celsius in March was the second highest after the 26.671 degrees Celsius recorded in March 2010.
The average minimum temperature across the country in March this year was 20.24 °C, the third highest in 122 years after 20.26 °C in 1953 and 20.25 °C in 2010.
In northwest India, the mean maximum temperature (30.73 °C) is the highest in the last 122 years. March 2004 saw an average maximum temperature of 30.67 °C.
The mean minimum temperature of 15.26 °C was the second highest in the region. The minimum temperature recorded in March 2010 was 15.4 °C.