New Delhi, February 28: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast an above-normal number of heatwave days across most parts of India between March and May. Regions including West Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra (south and east), Uttar Pradesh (east), Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of north Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are expected to experience elevated heatwave conditions.

In contrast, March is likely to see normal to below-normal maximum temperatures in many parts of India, except in the northeast, east, and some areas of the Western Himalayan region, as well as central and peninsular India. This shift is attributed to the IMD's projection that rainfall across India is expected to remain near normal in March.

Additionally, the IMD noted that February saw the lowest rainfall in India since 2001, with no cold wave conditions recorded throughout the month.