IMD Forecast: Above-normal heatwave days in Himalayan foothills, eastern coast; monsoon to arrive May 14-20

NEW DELHI: Many parts of the country may not be hotter than usual this month due to 'above normal' rainfall, but certain states, especially those along the Himalayan foothills such as southern Himachal and Uttarakhand, along the eastern coast, and some parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, are likely to face 'above normal' heatwave days (an additional 3 to 8 days), according to IMD's May forecast released Friday. The Met department also predicted warmer nights (above normal minimum temperatures) across many parts of the country, a phenomenon IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said is linked to climate change. 'Above normal' rainfall during the month is attributed to increased frequency of western disturbances and thunderstorm activity due to favourable troughs and upper air cyclonic circulations. These are likely to bring down day temps to 'below normal' in certain regions. "Maximum (day) temperatures are expected to be normal to below normal across many parts of the country. However, above-normal temperatures are likely in many parts of southern peninsular India, some parts of the northeast, and northwest India," said Mohapatra. He said minimum (night) temperatures are, on the other hand, expected to be above normal across many parts of the country. "However, many areas of northwest India, along with some parts of central India and adjoining areas of peninsular India and southern parts of northeast India, are likely to experience normal to below-normal minimum temperatures." Southwest monsoon is expected to arrive over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands around May 14-20. A forecast for its onset over Kerala, which marks arrival of monsoon over India's mainland, is expected around May 15. The Met department has already predicted 'below normal' monsoon rainfall this year amid the risk of El Nino, the warming of ocean surface temperatures in central and eastern equatorial Pacific, often linked to depressed rainfall over Indian subcontinent. Increasing frequency of WDs - moist air and low-pressure systems over Mediterranean region that enter India and affect local weather - led to seven such events in April, causing thunderstorms, rain, winds and lightning in northwest and adjoining central and east India. Extreme weather events linked to WDs claimed 24 lives last month. Lightning alone killed 10 people in Andhra, UP, Maharashtra and Odisha.