With summer progressing, State stares at heatwavelike conditions

With the State stepping into peak summer season, Kerala is staring at heatwavelike conditions at many places.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued an alert warning of 40°C in Thrissur and 39°C in Kollam and Palakkad for the next five days (till March 30). The highest temperature in the current season was recorded in Thrissur on Monday and Tuesday at 39.9°C and 39.8 °C — 4.6 °C and 4.5 °C higher than the average normal temperature in the region.

For declaring a heatwave, the temperature should be 4.5°C above normal for that time in a region. The criterion for the coastal station maximum temperature should be greater than or equal to 37°C. So, the weather conditions for declaring a heatwave have been technically met in Thrissur. However, the IMD is yet to declare it officially. It has been depending on the data processed by the coastal meteorological observatories.

Elevation

All the meteorological observatories of the IMD are considered coastal since their elevation is less than 100 m. As per norms, the elevation of the IMD observatory should be between 100 m and 600 m in midland areas and more than 600 m in highland areas. It means the IMD has no meteorological observatories in mid and highland areas, although it recently set up automatic weather stations (AWS) in these regions.

A comparison of temperature data is unavailable in AWS data since the AWSs were established recently. At least data of 30 years are required to find the average normal temperature of a region, say IMD sources.

With no major summer rain forecast for the next seven days, the maximum temperature is likely to rule high, say IMD sources. As per the record books of the IMD, Vellanikkara in Thrissur, Punalur in Kollam, and Palakkad will be the hottest regions in the month of March.

IMD issues alert warning of 40°C in Thrissur and 39°C in Kollam and Palakkad for the next five days