Mercury continues its surge; heatwave prevails in Palakkad

Kerala continued to witness a surge in temperature on Thursday, with the mercury touching 41.2° C in Palakkad. This season, the mercury reached its highest of 41.5°C on April 6 in the district, where at present heatwave conditions are prevailing. The highest temperature since 1901 was recorded at 41.9°C in 2016.

According to sources in the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave conditions in Palakkad will continue at least for the next three to six days. However, the hot and humid weather will not last too long. There would be a change in the weather by the end of April. The moisture feed from the ocean is not su‘cient for summer showers across the State. The main issue is that the wind is not strong enough to transport systems from the ocean, said the sources, adding that there would be only light showers for the next six days.

Meanwhile, a weather bulletin issued by the IMD on Thursday warned of above normal temperatures in 12 districts on Friday. Maximum temperatures are very likely to be around 41° C in Palakkad, around 39° C in Kollam and Thrissur, around 38° C in Kannur and Kozhikode, around 37° C in Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Kasaragod districts and around 36° C in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Malappuram districts until April 29.

Hot and humid weather is very likely in these districts.