Heatwave likely to continue in TS, warns IMD
Sounding the alert, on Wednesday, the Indian meteorological department (IMD) has issued a weather warning, starting May 22 this year. The warning would be effective till May 24. It said that heatwave conditions are likely to prevail over isolated pockets of the state.
On Wednesday, the maximum temperature had reached the 40 degree mark. As of 5.30 pm on Wednesday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 40.9 degrees celsius, which is one degree above normal. When it comes to the hottest areas in the twin cities, the highest maximum temperature of 41.9 degrees celsius was at Suleman Nagar in Falaknuma.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, K. Naga Ratna, IMD director said: “There are dry and hot winds blowing over the state from the northwestern regions of the country. Also, the tropical cyclone, Amphan, over the Bay of Bengal has sapped the moisture from the air over the state.”
The lack of moisture in the air has left the surface of the earth without a barrier to absorb the heat.
“Also, there is no incursion of winds from either the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian sea. This is why
the sun’s rays are reaching the earth's surface easily. We expect the temperature to go up to 44 degrees celsius,” she said.
As of Wednesday, in the last 24 hour,s the maximum temperatures recorded above 41 degrees celsius were in Adilabad, KumuramBheem, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagtial, RajannaSircilla, Peddapalli, Karimnagar, Siddipet, Jayashankar, Mulugu, Warangal Urban, BhadradriKothagudem, Khammam, Suryapet, and Nalgonda districts. The highest maximum was at Bhoraj in Adilabad with 44.5 degrees celsius.
Experts predict that the increase in temperature would start with the Adilabad district and then reach the city.
“The first affected would be those districts in the neighbourhood of Vidarbha, as the dry winds are in full flow over there. So, all districts close to it will be first affected. The capital city, would, however, warm up as well but in a gap of 24 hours,” Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist, Skymet(a private weather forecasting outfit) said.