For the first time since 2019, mercury officially crossed the 40°C mark in Kerala with Palakkad recording the season’s highest temperature on Saturday and Friday.
The temperatures recorded at the meteorological station in Palakkad were 40.4 °C and 40.0° C, respectively, on Saturday and Friday. The station had earlier recorded 40.2 °C and 40.8 °C in two back-to-back days in 2019 (on March 28 and 29, respectively). Vellanikkara in Thrissur was another station that recorded 40.4 °C in 2019.
Meanwhile, large parts of the State continue to simmer in the heat as summer thundershowers remain elusive, especially in central and northern Kerala. The summer rain is around 69% deficient in Kerala with the State netting only 10.1 mm of rainfall so far against the average of 32.4 mm during the period from March 1 to 30.
High humidity
Adding to the woes of the public, the humidity level in the atmosphere is also ruling high. For instance, the humidity level was over 70% in Palakkad in the morning and close to 40% in the evening on Saturday.
This has pushed the feel-like temperature (heat index) on the human body to around 50 °C in Palakkad when the relative humidity was also factored in with the actual temperature.
Though some thundershowers are expected in southern districts by the next week, a widespread shower is unlikely across the State, much to the chagrin of people, say India Meteorological Department (IMD) sources. In fact, the automatic weather stations set up by the IMD recorded temperatures above 40 °C at many places across the State, but the IMD has yet to validate the readings.
Not announced
Similarly, the IMD has not announced heat wave-like conditions in Kerala, for which the mercury level has to soar 4.5° C above the day’s average temperature.
However, the temperatures recorded in Vellanikkara and Palakkad in the last couple of days are well beyond the threshold level. For instance, the highest temperature recorded in Thrissur on Monday and Tuesday was 39.9°C and 39.8 °C — around 4.6 °C and 4.5 °C — higher than the average normal temperature in the region.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), which has the authority to declare drought after evaluating the rainfall conditions, including the performance of the monsoons, groundwater conditions, and other indicators warning of the severity of the situation, is monitoring the situation.
“The parameters required to satisfy the drought conditions are yet to be fully satisfied. However, we are monitoring the situation, and the Local Self-Governments department was already given an instruction to address the drinking water crisis by utilising their own funds or development funds,” said a senior KSDMA officer.
