Heat wave which usually occurs during the end of March and early April but this time, it has already commenced over many parts of the country. The sudden spike in temperatures by 6 to 8 degree Celsius in last 4 to 5 days have triggered the onset of heat wave.
If these high temperatures persist for another week or so they will adversely impact the yield of rabi crop in Punjab, Haryana, parts of Rajasthan and western parts of Uttar Pradesh. Moreover, intense heat may lead to intense pre-monsoon activities such as thunderstorms, hailstorm or the dust storm. These activities may also damage the crops which are ready for harvesting.
However, there seems to be a silver lining as the anticyclone over western part of Rajasthan which is responsible for hot and dry winds to blow across northwest and Central parts of the country is fading away. Temperatures may subside by 2 to 3 degrees in coming 24 to 48 hours, leading to abatement of heatwave from many parts.