(HT PHOTO)Kerala’s Alappuzha, best known for its backwaters, and Matheran recorded the highest temperatures ever this month — 38°C and 39°C.
Two weather stations in Bengaluru recorded the third and fourth highest temperatures ever at 38.5°C and 37.6°C in April.
At 36.6°C, Aminidivi (Lakshadweep) reported the 10th highest temperature ever and the fifth highest for this month.
The mercury went up to 42.4°C, the second highest ever, and the highest this month in Canning (West Bengal).
On April 1, IMD said more heatwave days than normal were expected between April and June raising concerns about agricultural production.
The heatwave scorching swathes of the country extended over to parts of Mumbai and even hit areas such as parts of Kerala, resort towns of Ooty (Tamil Nadu) and Matheran (Maharashtra) in the Western Ghats, and Bengaluru, which are not usually associated with such weather, this month. IMD said any relief was unlikely before May 1. (HT PHOTO)
Kerala’s Alappuzha, best known for its backwaters, and Matheran recorded the highest temperatures ever this month — 38°C and 39°C. Two weather stations in Bengaluru recorded the third and fourth highest temperatures ever at 38.5°C and 37.6°C in April.
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In Mumbai, Santacruz recorded 39.1°C, which was a departure of 5.4°C from normal, on Monday.
At 36.6°C, Aminidivi (Lakshadweep) reported the 10th highest temperature ever and the fifth highest for this month. Arogyavaram (Andhra Pradesh) recorded 41.0 °C, the second highest ever. The mercury went up to 42.4°C, the second highest ever, and the highest this month in Canning (West Bengal). Cuttack in Odisha reported the fifth-highest temperature for this month at 43.7°C. Dharmapuri (Tamil Nadu) recorded 41.2°C, the second highest ever. West Bengal’s Diamond Harbour recorded the sixth-highest temperature ever at 41.3°C.
Kottayam reported 38.5°C, the second highest ever. Palakkad in Kerala recorded the fourth highest temperature ever at 41.6°C. Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh reported 45.2°C, the third highest ever.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said a heatwave to severe heatwave in east and south peninsular India will continue for the next five days, covering a swathe of the country where elections are due in the next two phases.
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It said Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, parts of Jharkhand, Rayalaseema, interior Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana would face “heatwave or severe heatwave conditions”.
Experts attributed the surge in temperatures partly to a weather pattern that causes wind to blow from the land to sea, instead of the other way around, to one part of the southern peninsula, and an anticyclonic flow in another. “This phenomenon is likely to continue for next 4-5 days,” said M Rajeevan, climate scientist and former secretary, ministry of earth sciences.
“By May, heat waves will move to central and northwest India. We had expected this kind of heatwaves. Severe heat is expected to impact East India at least next 4-5 days. We normally see very high temperatures in a pre-monsoon season followed by an El Niño year,” added Rajeevan.
A second expert concurred. “This is happening mainly because of an anticyclonic flow. The sea breeze is not entering east or peninsular India. This will continue till May 2,” said M Mohapatra, director general, IMD.
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An HT analysis showed 186 of the 191 seats, where polls are due in the next two phases, will have peak temperatures above 35°C in the next five days. As many as 136 constituencies are projected to have peaks of above 40°C, which could again deter people from voting after turnouts have dropped in the first two phases.
IMD said parts of the east coast and the peninsular south will record a heat index of 40-50 degrees C. Some places can even go up to 60°C, according to heat index forecasts provided by IMD. Heat index combines air temperature and relative humidity.
IMD has sounded red alerts for Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand, warning of a very high likelihood of developing heat-related illnesses.
On April 1, IMD said more heatwave days than normal were expected between April and June raising concerns about agricultural production. April is crucial for winter-sown crops.
