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Chandigarh: Mercury to touch 45°C by weekend, IMD issues yellow alert for heatwave
A heatwave is declared in the city when the maximum temperature goes beyond 40°C and simultaneously rises at least 4.5 degrees above normal, or if the maximum temperature goes past 45°C, regardless of how much it departs from the normal.
With the day temperature expected to touch 45°C by the weekend and the city likely to reel under heatwave conditions between May 16 and May 18, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a health advisory for the public.
People have been advised to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, especially during peak hours, and stay hydrated.
A heatwave is declared in the city when the maximum temperature goes beyond 40°C and simultaneously rises at least 4.5 degrees above normal, or if the maximum temperature goes past 45°C, regardless of how much it departs from the normal.
As per IMD Chandigarh scientist, Shivinder Singh, since there is no active Western Disturbance in the city, the temperature is likely to go up with every passing day.
“At the beginning of the month, the temperatures remained below normal as a Western Disturbance was affecting the city almost every weekend. Now, we don’t have any such system here, so we should brace for higher temperatures,” he said.
As per Singh, the temperature is likely to remain between 41°C and 44°C in the city.
For now, a yellow warning for heatwave has been issued for the city. Yellow is the second highest of the four-colour warning system used by the IMD and asks people to be prepared.
Singh explained that it can be upgraded to an orange alert if the heatwave conditions persist in the coming days. When asked why the heatwave alert has been issued only till May 18 and whether any relief can be expected after that, Singh said the alert is in keeping with the IMD protocol and relief is unlikely after May 18. He added that the temperature may only rise further unless a Western Disturbance affects the city.
Last May, the maximum temperature had gone up to 43.1°C on May 23 but heatwave conditions weren’t observed in the month.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, the maximum temperature recorded was 39.7°C, two degrees above normal. The maximum temperature had last touched 40°C on May 6 when it was 40.2°C. The minimum temperature fell from 21.5°C on Monday to 20.9°C on Tuesday, three degrees below normal. Over the next three days, the maximum temperature will remain between 41°C and 42°C while minimum temperature is likely to remain between 23°C and 25°C.
