While a lack of western disturbances led to less than usual rainfall in Northwest India in December 2023, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted no adverse impact is expected on wheat crop in India, as estimates suggest normal to above normal rainfall and lesser cold wave conditions during the current Rabi season.
The IMD's forecast from January to March 2024 has projected normal rainfall over Northern India during the Rabi season. Seasonal rainfall over India is expected to be above normal during this period, and normal rainfall is expected over extreme south, extreme northwest and northeast India over the next three months.
Dense to very dense fog is likely for the next three days over parts of northwest and eastern India and is expected to decrease thereafter. For January 2024, the IMD has projected below-normal cold wave days over central India, lower than usual maximum temperatures over parts of northwest and central India and higher than usual maximum temperatures over parts of peninsular and northeast India.
IMD's compilation of information from news reports on deaths due to adverse events has indicated 1270 deaths across India in 2023 due to thunderstorms and lightning, with the highest toll in Bihar, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.
Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh have reported higher numbers among the 860 people who lost their lives due to floods or heavy rainfall in 2023. Most of the 160 deaths due to heat waves were reported from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand.
