It looks like the hot steaming days of the summer season is right behind us with the cloudy conditions persisting in most parts of Telangana with slight rainfall. These ‘unusual’ weather conditions in May are likely to continue for another week and chances of extreme heat conditions returning are slim, according to weather forecasters at the Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS) on Wednesday.
“After the heat waves in first week of May, we have had a cool down due to rains bringing the normal day temperatures by two to three degrees. Quite abnormally, the climate is continuing in the same manner and it is because of the easterly flow from the Bay of Bengal rather than the northern flow from North India where maximum temperatures have risen considerably,” said TSDPS weather forecast consultant Y. V. Rama Rao.
These cloudy conditions could also be the result of the El Nino (warming up of the Atlantic Ocean which affects the Indian monsoon) transitioning to neutral conditions leading to the average day temperatures falling to about 39° Celsius-40° Celsius instead of the 40° Celsius-45° Celsius range which usually is the climate during this time of the year with a few thunderstorms thrown in, he explained.
The prevailing cloudy activity was preceded by extreme heat which had begun in March, topped in April and continued up to the first week of this month. In April, the average maximum temperature in the State was 42° Celsius, one degree more than normal, with the highest recorded being 45.5° Celsius at Matur (Nalgonda). In May, the average maximum temperatures came down from about 43° Celsius in the beginning to 39° Celsius now.
But, it has to be pointed out that the maximum temperatures in 2015-16 were way higher when compared with this year. The only way the maximum temperatures during the day could rise again later this month, even if slightly, is if there is a pre-monsoon low pressure or cyclonic activity in the Bay of Bengal moving towards Bangladesh and Myanmar.
These storms usually recur during this time of the year and when they happen, the hot northernly winds will lead to a rise in temperatures. This could also delay the onset of the monsoon by a few days, said the weatherman. Mr. Rao pointed out that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has alerted about the progress of monsoon from May 20 and he expected the ‘La Nina’ (opposite of El Nino) conditions to strengthen towards July and August bringing good rain.
