3 min readAhmedabadMar 12, 2025 01:16 AM IST
First published on: Mar 11, 2025 at 09:09 PM IST
More districts will be facing heat wave conditions in Gujarat, which is already reeling under severe heat wave conditions since Sunday, in days to come. State’s highest maximum temperature, of 42.8 degree Celsius, was recorded at Surendranagar on Tuesday, 8.4 degrees above normal.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday added Surat in the list of districts under an orange alert while Bhavnagar and Porbandar were issued yellow alert for Wednesday. The predicted maximum temperature can go up to 43 degree Celsius.
“Maximum temperatures are very likely to be in the range of 40-43 degree Celsius during the next 1-2 days over the interior parts of Saurashtra-Kutch and adjoining parts of North Gujarat region and over some parts of South Gujarat. During this period, heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are very likely to prevail over these parts of Gujarat,” IMD warned on Tuesday.
Districts of Kutch, Morbi, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Junagadh and Porbandar were under a red alert on Tuesday.
“Districts of Saurashtra, Kutch and even Surat are under severe heat wave conditions. This is certainly unusual at the start of the season. The heat wave conditions will start declining from tomorrow (Wednesday),” A K Das, IMD’s regional director at Ahmedabad, told The Indian Express.
The last time such a heat wave was experienced in the month of March was in 2022. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a heat wave alert from March 15-18 that year for Saraushtra and Kutch with severe heat waves in pockets of Kutch, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Ahmedabad, Patan, Gandhinagar and Kheda.
Meanwhile, the IMD regional director said that the coming days of March, too, will witness above normal temperatures. “For March, maximum as well as minimum temperatures will be above normal. Also, (number of) heat wave days will be more than normal in the month of March,” he added.
On Tuesday, most of the centres in the state experienced 7-8 degrees above normal maximum temperature. “Ahmedabad was at 41.2 degree Celsius, 7 degrees above normal. We were expecting it to be around 40 degree Celsius (on Wednesday),” Das said.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has issued an advisory and implemented its heat wave action plan for the city issuing a yellow alert for Tuesday, forecasting the temperature to be in the range of 41-43 degree Celsius.
“Severe heat wave conditions prevailed at isolated pockets in the districts of Anand and Surat; in the districts of Saurashtra-Kutch namely Rajkot, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar, Junagadh and Kutch. Heat wave conditions prevailed in the districts of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar; in districts of Saurashtra-Kutch, namely Amreli, Bhavnagar, Junagadh and Porbandar,” the IMD stated on Tuesday.
Under an orange alert, which is a severe heat alert, the IMD has cautioned the citizens against increased likelihood of heat-illness symptoms in people who are exposed to sun for a prolonged period. In its advisory, the IMD has advised vulnerable people such as infants, elderly and people with chronic diseases to avoid heat exposure, guard against dehydration, and drink sufficient water “even if not thirsty”, use ORS, homemade drinks like buttermilk, ricewater and lemon water to stay hydrated.
“Very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heat stroke in all ages. Extreme care needed for vulnerable people,” IMD said in its advisory.
Districts of Kutch, Morbi, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Junagadh and Porbandar were under a red alert on Tuesday. (Representational Image) 
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