The Hindu (Thiruvananthapuram)
IMD issues warm night forecast besides heatwave alert for State
3,020 girls get academic support
With daytime temperatures remaining unusually high and giving the people a harrowing time, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warm night forecast along with a heatwave alert for the State.
The agency is also considering a hot day alert for the State after temperatures soared to unprecedented levels.
V.K. Mini, Director incharge, IMD, Kerala, says normally warm night is declared when the maximum temperature remains equal to or above 40°C and the minimum temperature departs from the normal by 4.5° C to 6.4° C.
Alappuzha is more prone to warm night conditions, with the night temperature remaining beyond the threshold levels, which is generally dangerous for the human body as it will not get sucient time to cool down, upsetting sleep.
In Alappuzha
“Two days ago, Alappuzha inched towards satisfying the warm night conditions, with the night-time temperature departure recording 4.4° C. The persistent clouds prevented heat from escaping from the earth, increasing the nighttime heat. Southern districts are prone to warm night conditions due to the presence of clouds during night,” says Ms. Mini.
Similarly, the IMD is also planning to declare a hot day alert in the State following the high daytime temperature coupled with high moisture in the atmosphere.
A heatwave is declared when the maximum day temperature of a station reaches at least 40° C or more in plains and the minimum departure from
As many as 3,020 girls who were keeping away from education have been given academic support through the Mahila Samakhya Shikshan Kendra functioning in 101 panchayats in the State, Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty has said.
In Wayanad, academic support had been given to 566 girls, he said at a press meet recently. Girls below 18 years who are survivors of crime and are in no position to stay in their homes are accommodated at the Mahila Samakhya Shikshan Kendra. normal temperature by 4.5° C.
In the case of a hot day, the IMD will issue alerts if the minimum departure temperature records 4.5°C and the maximum day temperature is within the limit of less than 40° C, say IMD sources.
Criteria satis ed
For the time being, a good number of places in the State satisfy the criteria for hot day considering the maximum day temperature and minimum departure in these regions.
The IMD has issued a heatwave alert for Alappuzha, Palakkad, Thrissur, and Kozhikode and warm night conditions for Alappuzha on Friday.
High temperature
Maximum temperatures are likely to be around 40°C in Palakkad, around 39° C in Kollam, Thrissur, and Kozhikode, around 38°C in Alappuzha, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Kannur, around 37°C in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Malappuram and Kasaragod (3°C to 5°C above normal) until May 6, according to the IMD.