India witnesses stark weather contrasts at the end of February. A strengthening low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal drives heavy rainfall across southern regions, while north India grapples with an unusually intense heatwave and above-normal temperatures.
Heavy Rainfall Warning for South India
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues a high alert for February 22 as the low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal intensifies. Heavy showers target isolated spots in south Tamil Nadu and south Kerala.
Authorities advise fishermen to avoid the southwest Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Mannar, and Comorin area, where winds could gust between 40 and 50 km/h.
Cloudy conditions persist across the peninsula, though meteorologist Devendra Tripathi indicates minimal rainfall chances in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Abnormal Heatwave Grips North India
Northwest and central regions enter a rapid warming phase, skipping typical spring weather for early summer-like conditions. Maximum temperatures rise 2 to 4 degrees Celsius over the next seven days.
Delhi-NCR forecasts reach 33 degrees Celsius by the weekend. Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh prepare for 35 to 37 degrees Celsius, typical of mid-March.
“We are looking at an abnormally warm end to February,” meteorologist Navdeep Dahiya states. “Clear skies and weaker northern winds allow daytime heat to build quickly across the plains.”
El Niño Influence and Agricultural Concerns
Global agencies like NASA and Skymet Weather monitor these patterns amid ongoing El Niño effects, signaling a potentially record-hot year. The early heat risks stressing winter crops such as wheat, mustard, and gram due to insufficient cold hours.
Mornings and nights in Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi retain a slight chill, with recent dense fog reducing visibility to as low as 40 meters in some areas.
