Several regions in India endured intense heatwaves over the weekend, with no signs of relief in sight. There is chances of heatwave situation in several areas in Odisha, Jharkhand and Gangetic West Bengal on March 17, 2025, as per India Meteorological Department (IMD). Interiors of Odisha as well as southern Rajasthan and northern Gujarat will be exposed to heatwave conditions through March 21-27.
The Meteorological Department issued warnings about extreme heat conditions across different districts of Odisha together with Chhattisgarh and Karnataka and Maharashtra on March 16. Six districts in Jharkhand reached above 40°C temperatures as Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao instructed people to stay inside their homes during noon to 3 PM on March 15.
According to IMD, Heat wave to Severe heat wave conditions likely to continue over Interior Odisha while Warm night conditions very likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Odisha during 16th to 18th March.
आंतरिक ओडिशा में 16 से 18 मार्च के दौरान उष्ण लहर से भीषण उष्ण लहर की स्थिति जारी रहने जबकि ओडिशा के अलग -अलग स्थानों में वार्म नाइट की स्थिति रहने की संभावना है।
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) March 16, 2025
Heat wave to Severe heat wave conditions likely to continue over Interior Odisha while Warm night conditions very… pic.twitter.com/smsHaC0vkf
The Indian Meteorological Department uses the criterion of 40°C in the plains together with 30°C in mountain regions as the defining temperature for heatwaves. When the temperature deviates between 4.5°C and 6.4°C above normal it indicates a heatwave condition but severe heatwave classification requires temperatures greater than 6.4°C above normal.
According to absolute temperature conditions the first criterion for a heatwave requires maximum temperatures exceeding 45°C while severe heatwaves occur when maximum temperatures reach 47°C or more. A declared heatwave in coastal regions occurs when temperatures reach 37°C or higher accompanied by a normal temperature deviation exceeding 4.5°C. India experiences its heatwaves during March through June that occasionally spreads into July. People experience more severe health consequences in hot weather conditions because humidity prevents the skin from evaporating sweat so nobody can effectively cool their bodies. When nighttime temperatures rise too high the body loses its ability to rest during nighttime which makes heat-related discomfort worse.
