The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast warmer-than-usual nights in Maharashtra from March to May. The forecast also indicates that maximum temperatures during the daytime will remain above normal across most parts of the state. Mrityunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology, shared model-based forecasts for the upcoming summer months.

He said eastern Maharashtra, including the Vidarbha region, is expected to witness an above-normal heatwave during the upcoming hot weather season. Explaining the prevailing atmospheric conditions, Mohapatra said the weak La Niña conditions are currently present over the equatorial Pacific, with sea surface temperatures below normal across much of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. He further added that the global climate models and the Monsoon Mission Climate Forecasting System (MMCFS) suggest that these conditions are likely to weaken gradually during the upcoming season.