High moisture content and moderately high temperatures this year have increased the chances of dehydration, said Dr. Anupam Kashyapi, F-Scientist and Head of India Meteorological Department (IMD) weather forecasting division, while speaking with The Indian Express.
Kashyapi noted that since the start of summer in March this year, Pune has not seen many days where the temperature has exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.
However, last year the maximum temperature crossed the 40 degree mark several times, but the moisture content in the air is much higher this year than last year. “This condition, which we call hot and humid, makes one prone to dehydration as higher moisture content doesn’t allow the body to cool down naturally,” he explained.
Currently, IMD has not issued any heat wave warnings, but the advisories have asked people to guard against dehydration. People have been urged to drink enough water, wear light-colored clothing and avoid going out during the rush hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
After a brief period of cooler days, Fist and its surrounding regions are expected to see a run of the mercury past the 40 degree Celsius mark from Wednesday. This increase, Kashyapi said, was seasonal and “the normal summer trend.” April was an anomaly as the incursion of moisture from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal not only lowered the temperature but also brought unseasonable rains. In fact, April 2023 has been the wettest Pune has seen in the last 20 years.
The unseasonal rains, Kashyapi said, stopped after Cyclone Mocha. The cyclone that made landfall in Myanmar and Bangladesh, Kashyapi said, ensured an end to the unseasonal rains. At present, IMD and the nation in general are keeping a close eye on the development of the monsoons. On Tuesday, the IMD mentioned June 4 as the probable day of the start of the monsoon in Kerala. Meanwhile, the monsoon could reach the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by the end of this week.
Discover more from PressNewsAgency
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.