Higher than normal daytime temperatures likely in most parts India in Nov: IMD

New Delhi: November is expected to record higher than normal daytime temperatures in most parts of the country, with an exception in some parts of northwest and central India, along with warmer nighttime temperatures across the country as well, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast on Tuesday.

Releasing the forecast for the month of November, IMD director general M Mohapatra said that monthly rainfall over the country as a whole is also expected to be in the ‘normal’ range—categorised as 77-123% of the long period average (LPA)—in November.

LPA is the rainfall recorded over a particular region for a given interval, for instance a month or season, averaged over a long period. This forms the basis of comparison to mark deviation of rainfall recorded in a particular season or year.

“Above normal to normal rainfall is likely over some areas of the southernmost Peninsular India, most parts of northwest India, east central, east and northeast India. Below normal to normal rainfall is likely over remaining parts of the country in November,” Mohapatra said.

He said that the daytime temperatures are also forecast to be on the higher side in most parts of the country, except parts of northwest and central India, where normal temperatures are expected. On the other hand, higher nighttime temperatures are predicted across the country during the month.

“In parts of northwest and central India, higher than normal western disturbances are expected in November, which will result in cloudy nights. Cloudy nights tend to trap heat and in turn lead to higher than usual minimum temperatures. In simpler terms, the severity of cold nights will be less in the month of November,” the IMD chief said.

Mohapatra also added that the temperatures in the plains during September and October were also higher than it usually is and the trend is expected to continue. Quoting the Met department data, Mohapatra said that on average there was a spike of around 0.96 degrees Celsius in October with the all-India average temperature for the month standing at the third highest since 1901 and the mean temperature coming in at the fifth highest since then.

IMD recordings have shown that northeast monsoon has remained insignificant this year.

Data shows that 2023 recorded the sixth lowest rainfall over the northeast monsoon regions since IMD began record keeping. The record for the lowest rainfall over this region was for 2016, when only 50.7mm rainfall was recorded, followed by 1998 with a rainfall recording of 54.4mm, and then 1918 with 61.2mm rainfall, IMD data shows. This October, 74.9mm rainfall was recorded.

“The commencement of northeast monsoon over the South Peninsula happened on October 21. It occurred in association with strengthening of northeasterlies in the region. Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall was recorded over south Tamil Nadu and Kerala,” IMD said in a statement on Tuesday.