Minimum temperatures are expected to be higher than normal in most parts of India in January, except in some areas of eastern, northwest, and west-central regions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.

Maximum temperatures are also likely to be above normal for most parts of the country, except in parts of northwest, central and eastern India, and central parts of the southern peninsula, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said during a virtual press briefing.

Western and northern parts of central India are expected to experience more cold wave days than usual during January, he said.

The IMD said rainfall in north India during January to March is likely to be below normal, with less than 86 per cent of the long-period average (LPA). The average rainfall for north India during this period, based on 1971-2020 data, is about 184.3 mm.

Northern and northwestern states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh grow rabi crops, including wheat, peas, gram and barley, in winter (October to December) and harvest them in summer (April to June). Rainfall during winter, caused by western disturbances, plays a crucial role in their growth.

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