Above-normal heatwave days are expected over most parts of the country between March and May, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its monthly forecast on Saturday.These parts include West Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, southern and eastern Maharashtra, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of north Karnataka and north Tamil Nadu.“During the March-April-May (MAM) season, the increased likelihood of heatwave conditions may pose significant risks to public health, water resources, power demand, and essential services, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, outdoor workers, and individuals with pre-existing medical conditions,” IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said at a press conference here.During March, however, maximum temperatures are likely to be normal to below normal over many parts of the country, except northeast and east India, and some parts of the Western Himalayan region and central and peninsular India.Meanwhile, normal minimum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country except some parts of northwest India, south peninsula and along east coast, where normal to below normal minimum temperatures are likely during March.“This could be because rainfall averaged over India is most likely to be normal during March 2026. The LPA of rainfall over the country during March, based on data from 1971 to 2020, is about 29.9 mm,” he said.While many parts of the country are expected to experience normal to above-normal rainfall in March, northeast India, and some parts of northwest and east-central India might witness below normal rainfall.The meteorological department has also noted that, currently, weak La Nina conditions are prevailing over the equatorial Pacific. But, in the following months, neutral El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions could return, according to the forecasts by global models and IMD’s Monsoon Mission Climate Forecast System (MMCFS).Reviewing weather conditions that prevailed during February, IMD said that the rainfall all over India last month was the lowest since 2001. Also, no cold waves or cold days prevailed during February.“The absence of any active western disturbances and lack of their interactions/confluences with easterly (winds) are the major reasons for subdued snow/rainfall in the month,” IMD said.Many parts of the country, except south peninsular and some parts of central India, experienced normal to above normal maximum temperatures.Normal to above normal minimum temperatures were witnessed over many parts of India, except the eastern peninsula and east-central India.“During February, India experienced the 10th highest maximum temperature, third highest minimum temperature, and fifth highest mean temperature since 1901,” IMD said.