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Heatwaves and its effects on India   Prelims: Climate Change, Air mass. Mains (GS3): Conservation, environmental Pollution, Climate Change WHAT IS A HEATWAVE? A heatwave is a period of unusually hot weather with above-normal temperatures that typically lasts for 3 or more days. A heat wave is a situation of high air temperature that, when experienced by a person, is fatal. The period of heatwave in India is mainly during March to June and in some rare cases even in July. The peak month of the heat wave over India is May. It is the third biggest natural killer in India, with 2,040 people dying of them in 2015. The prescription given by IMD suggests that a heatwave is considered if the maximum temperature at a station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius for plains, at least 37 degrees Celsius for coastal stations, and at least 30 degrees Celsius for hilly areas. Credit : Gyan Shahane CRITERIA: If normal maximum temperature is  ≤40 degrees Celsius, then an inc...