Last month, March 2021, the average maximum, minimum and mean temperatures across India were above normal. At a maximum recorded temperature of 32.65 degree C, March 2021 is now the third warmest March in the last 121 years, informs the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) recent monthly weather review. 

The warmest ever March was recorded in 2010 when the maximum monthly temperature had jumped to 33.09 degree C followed by the second warmest March in 2004 with maximum temperature of 32.82 degree C. 

Last month the observed monthly average maximum, minimum and mean temperature for the country as a whole was 32.65 degree C, 19.95 degree C and 26.30 degree C respectively, against the normal of 31.24 degree C, 18.87 degree C and 25.06 degree C based on the climatology period 1981-2010. Thus the average maximum, minimum and mean temperature for India as a whole were above normal by 1.4 degree C, 1.08 degree C and 1.24 degree C, respectively. 

The all India average monthly maximum temperature during March 2021 with 32.65 degree C is the warmest in last 11 years, said IMD.

As for the current month, the weather department has indicated above normal maximum temperatures over most subdivisions of northwest, north along the plains of Himalayas, east, west and central India. Meanwhile, below normal maximum temperatures over most subdivisions of south Peninsular India, northeast India and few subdivisions of extreme north India are forecasted. 

Under the influence of fresh Western Disturbance, light/moderate fairly widespread to widespread rain/snow very likely over Western Himalayan Region during April 4 to April 7; and light isolated rainfall over Punjab and Haryana & Chandigarh on April 5 and April 6.