Mercury low, longer spring for NW India

THIS YEAR, MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE IN MARCH WAS 33.3 DEG C THAT WAS RECORDED ON MARCH 26, ACCORDING TO DATA WITH THE IMD

NEW DELHI: Spring this year has been longer this year in many parts of northwest India on the back the wester disturbance (WD), a wind system that brings in moisture laden cool air from the Mediterranean. The season is usually accompanied by an increase in cases of flu.

This year, the maximum temperature in March was 33.3 degree Celsius that recorded on March 26, according to data with the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

In comparison, for the same month last year, it was 39.2 degree Celsius recorded on March 31. The average maximum temperature for March was similar in both years around 28.2 degree C, 1 degree below normal.

April has seen lower day and night temperatures too when compared to last year.

“We had four WDS last April but more than six WDS this year already. The WDS brought a lot of rain this year. In March we got 109.67mm rain, which is the highest since 1901. Wind speed has also been moderate at about 20 to 30 kmph. This is why maximum temperature hasn’t risen as it should have. On April 7 also, many neighbouring parts of Delhi received rains due to a WD once again bringing down maximum and minimum temperatures,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre.

IMD’S Wednesday bulletin said a WD is likely to affect western Himalayan region on April 9 and 10.

Also an induced cyclonic circulation is likely to form over central Pakistan and neighbourhood around April 10. These are likely to bring more rain to the region.

“The summer heat hasn’t started and temperature hasn’t started picking up yet even in places which get very hot by now like parts of Rajasthan, Odisha, Maharashtra, some areas of Central India,” said RK Jenamani, senior scientist, national weather forecasting centre.

But how does this affect the flu season?

“It is thought that high humidity and low temperature is favourable for the spread of certain viral infections. But the correlation between temperature and these infections is still a matter of conjecture. There are no scientific studies clearly establishing the link. But what we do know is that March-april and September-october are pollen or allergy season when asthma and certain respiratory conditions aggravate,” said Dr BK Tripathi, professor of medicine at Safdarjung Hospital.