The blazing summer sun and heatwave left people scrambling for shelter in many parts of Kerala. The intense heat also claimed two lives in the State on Sunday with authorities confirming the death of a 90-year-old woman due to sunstroke at Elappully in Palakkad and another one in Kannur.
Meanwhile, Palakkad recorded the highest temperature of 41.6° C on Sunday in the manual observatory, around 5.3° C higher than the normal temperature.
In Kottayam, Alappuzha
While, Kottayam witnessed a record-breaking maximum temperature of 38.5° C, the highest-ever recorded in April, surpassing the previous record of 38.3° C set on April 3, 2020. Similarly, Alappuzha matched its all-time highest temperature for the month of April since April 1, 1987, with the mercury hitting 38.0° C on Sunday. Both these temperatures mark record maximums for April, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.
According to sources in the IMD, this is not the first time that the State has been witnessing a heatwave, although the heatwave was officially declared this year. For instance, the data from the automatic weather stations (AWS) in the State showed a record heat of 44.5° C at Mankara and 43.3° C at Kollengode in Palakkad on Sunday. Since the first week of March, temperatures have crossed the 40° C mark in many places in the State as per the AWS readings. However, the IMD has not been using the data for official warning as there is no long period average data from AWS are available.
In the case of the difference between the readings from the AWS and the manual observatory, the sources clarified that the data from the manual and automatic weather stations could not be compared. For instance, often the AWS data were a little higher as the response time of electronic sensors is less than that of mercury thermometers. Manual observatories are equipped with mercury thermometers, and they will not respond to sudden changes in the atmosphere. On the other hand, the electronic sensors immediately respond to instantaneous changes, said the sources.
Heatwave in three districts
Meanwhile, the IMD on Sunday issued a heatwave alert for Kollam, Thrissur and Palakkad on Monday. Maximum temperature in Palakkad is likely to be around 41° C and in Kollam and Thrissur districts, 40.0° C, while the temperatures will be around 3 to 5° C above the normal in most parts of the State, except Wayanad and Idukki.
