Bhubaneswar, Feb. 27 -- As February draws to a close, India is poised to step steadily into warmer days, with the next two weeks likely to bring a pronounced rise in temperatures across large parts of the country. The latest extended range forecast for Week 1 (February 26-March 4) and Week 2 (March 5-11) signals an expanding footprint of above-normal heat, particularly across northern and western India.

The first signs of intensifying heat will be felt across the plains of Northwest India, where maximum temperatures are expected to climb gradually by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius over the next seven days. By the end of the week, many areas in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh could see daytime temperatures hovering 3 t...