The country is likely to experience warmer summer this year as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast above normal day and night temperatures from March till May over most parts of the country due to El Nino conditions, except over some isolated areas of northwest, northeast, central and peninsular India.

The minimum or night temperatures are also likely to be above normal over most parts of the country, the IMD said on Friday.

Monthly maximum temperatures for March are expected to be above normal over most areas of peninsular India, the northeast, the west central region and the northwest. Normal to below normal maximum temperatures are likely to persist over most parts of east and east-central India and some parts of northwest India.

“Night temperatures are likely to be above normal over most parts of the country except some isolated areas along the Himalayas where normal to below normal minimum temperatures are most likely in March,” the IMD said.

The weather department also warned that above-normal number of heatwave days are likely over most parts of the country, except over northeast India, western Himalayan region, southwest peninsula and the west coast. During March, above-normal heatwave days are likely over most areas of northeast peninsular India, many areas of Maharashtra and some parts of Odisha and adjoining areas.

“El Nino conditions have weakened but they are still prevailing and expected to continue till May. El Nino is associated with above normal number of heatwave days. So, we can expect a hot summer but for the first 15 days of the season, the maximum temperatures are expected to be below normal over northwest India as active western disturbances are expected to impact the western Himalayan region,” IMD director general M Mohapatra said.

The average rainfall forecast for March pan-India is most likely to be above normal (>117% of LPA). Normal to above-normal rainfall is likely over most parts of the country, except over extreme southeastern areas of the southern peninsula and some areas of northeast and extreme northwest India where below-normal rainfall is likely.