New Delhi: Taking into account both air temperature and relative humidity, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has begun providing heat index for several regions of the country on a trial basis as of this past Friday.
The heat index, especially for the plains, will provide visitors "a sense of what the temperature actually feels like" in addition to the day's minimum and maximum temperatures.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra explained at a Media Workshop on Weather and Climate here that the highest temperature happens at 2:30 pm, thus that's when the temperature and humidity data are used to calculate the heat index and make the forecasts.—Inputsfrom Agencies