Ahmedabad: Gujarat is witnessing unusually high temperatures even in the first week of March, with several cities recording maximum temperatures close to 39°C, well above the seasonal average.

According to the India Meteorological Department’s weather report released at 8:30 am today, many parts of the state recorded temperatures 3°C to 5.6°C above normal on March 4, indicating an early rise in heat levels.

Rajkot recorded the highest maximum temperature in the state at 39.2°C, which was 5.1°C above normal. It was followed by Deesa at 38.8°C (5.6°C above normal) and Ahmedabad at 38.6°C (4.8°C above normal).

Other cities also reported high temperatures, including Amreli (38.3°C), Vadodara (38.0°C), Gandhinagar (38.0°C), Surat (37.9°C) and Porbandar (37.6°C). Several coastal and Saurashtra towns also saw temperatures significantly above normal for this time of the year.

Minimum temperatures were also higher than usual in many locations. Ahmedabad recorded a minimum of 22.5°C, which was 5°C above normal, while Gandhinagar reported 21.5°C, also about 5.1°C above normal.

Humidity levels remained moderate in most areas during the morning hours, while no rainfall was recorded across the state, according to the weather department.

Meteorologists say the higher-than-normal temperatures in early March indicate the gradual onset of summer conditions across Gujarat, with the mercury likely to remain elevated in the coming days. DeshGujarat