Winds, clouds to rescue as max temp drops 5 notches
GURUGRAM: Residents heaved a sigh of relief as partially cloudy skies reduced Gurugram’s temperature on Sunday, a day after residents sweltered in the scorching heat when the district recorded a maximum temperature of 46.5°C — the highest ever temperature to be recorded here in the month of April.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Gurugram on Sunday recorded a maximum temperature of 41.8°C and a minimum temperature of 27°C. Across the state, the average maximum temperature reduced by three degrees, but it was still two degrees above the normal of 40°C for this time of year, shows IMD data.
IMD officials also predicted some relief due to dust storms/ thunderstorms, coupled with gusty winds, on May 2 and May 3 in parts of Haryana and Gurugram. They also observed that in the last 24 hours, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed over some parts of Delhi, in isolated pockets over Gurgaon, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh. The fall in maximum temperatures by three or four degrees is likely over many parts of northwest India in the next two days but there is no significant change expected thereafter.
IMD officials said currently, southwesterly winds are prevailing over southern Haryana, which are relatively less hot, and this has brought down the temperature and also eased the heatwave situation. The Meteorological Centre — a regional centre of the IMD in Chandigarh — has predicted an average drop in temperature in the next few days, by three or four degrees.
Manmohan Singh, director of Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh, said severe heatwave conditions prevalent earlier are
likely to abate but the heatwave will continue in the region and people should take adequate precautions. “The partially cloudy conditions on Sunday and prevailing southwesterlies helped reduce the maximum temperature... The heatwave, which started from south Haryana, has now spread over the entire region,” said Singh, adding no significant change in the weather conditions is likely in the next few days.
A heatwave is declared if the maximum temperature is at
least 40°C or more across the plains for two consecutive days with stations recording a maximum temperature that is 4.5 degrees or more above the normal.
Residents said the drop in temperature brought some relief on Sunday.
“The cloudy weather ensured the sun was less punishing on Sunday. We were expecting even more heat, but things were better. We are hoping for more relief from extreme weather conditions in the coming days,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, a resident of Palam Vihar.
Winds bring respite to Delhi residents too
Meanwhile, the heatwave eased its grip on Delhi on Sunday, as cooler, easterly winds blew into the Capital, pulling the mercury down by three or four degrees across the city. The temperature at Delhi’s base weather station in Safdarjung dipped to 40.5°C on Sunday, a three-degree drop from the previous three days, when the mercury stayed at 43.5°C.
To be sure, Sunday’s temperature was still two degrees above normal for this time of the year. The weather office predicted that similar conditions would persist on Monday, with Safdarjung likely to record a mercury peak between 39°C and 40°C, with dust storms and thunderstorms likely to give the city some more relief, after an unforgiving April that saw Delhi’s average maximum temperature hit a 12-year-high.
RK Jenamani, scientist at the IMD said these easterly winds are occurring largely due to a western disturbance, which will bring dust storm activity on Monday. “It will be a relatively dry and dusty spell, with wind speeds touching 50 km/hr in places. The maximum at Safdarjung may drop below 40°C.”
However, this is not expected to bring the city any rain, said the officials.