2024 warmest year on record in India since 1901, surpasses 2016's record: IMD
- IMD's DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra stated that the annual mean land surface air temperature across India in 2024 was 0.65 degrees Celsius above the long-term average (1991-2020 period).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on 1 January 2025 stated that 2024 was the warmest on record in India since 1901, with the average minimum temperature settling 0.90 degrees Celsius above the long-period average, reported PTI.
According to the Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the annual mean land surface air temperature across India in 2024 was 0.65 degrees Celsius above the long-term average (1991-2020 period).
He added that 2024 now ranks as the warmest year on record since 1901, surpassing 2016, which had recorded a mean land surface air temperature 0.54 degrees Celsius above normal.
While, the European climate agency Copernicus said that 2024 likely ended as the warmest year on record and was the first year with a global average temperature 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
A yearly review report by two groups of climate scientists— World Weather Attribution and Climate Central—said that in 2024, the world experienced an average of 41 more days of dangerous heat.
Warning for winters:
Meanwhile, IMD in its bulletin issued heavy fog warning for Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Rajasthan.
It predicted cold wave conditions in isolated spots of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad from December 30 to January 2.
For December 31, IMD said, “Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions likely in a few pockets of Himachal Pradesh; cold wave conditions in isolated pockets of Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan. Ground Frost likely in isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh.”
“Dense fog likely in isolated pockets of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, Assam & Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura in night/morning hours. Cold wave conditions likely in a few pockets of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana on January 1,” it said.
Further adding, “On January 2, cold wave conditions likely in a few pockets of Punjab, Haryana.”
With agency inputs.