As monsoon retreats, mercury soars in northwest India
Post-monsoon temperatures in northwest India have surged 3-5°C above normal, with above-normal rainfall expected in October, according to IMD.
Soon after monsoon retreated from parts of northwest India, day and night temperatures have spiked with several stations recording temperatures that are 3 to 5 degree C above normal.
Whether this trend will stay for days remains to be seen as India Meteorological Department insisted that this is a post-monsoon brief peak in temperatures. Delhi on Wednesday recorded maximum temperature of 37.2 degree C, 3 degrees above normal and night temperature of 26.6 degree C, 4 degrees above normal. Sirsa in Haryana recorded maximum of 39 degree C; Rohtak 36.3 degree C; Jaipur 38 degree C; Churu 40 degree C among others. Jaipur recorded night temperature of 27.2 degree C, 5 degrees above normal.
Delhi had a relative humidity of 62% at 8.30 am on Wednesday and 48% at 5.30 PM.
“Temperatures usually increase soon after monsoon withdraws, but this time it’s still humid also because moisture is still high. On October 5 and 6, there is likely to be some weather activity over northwest India. This is because there is likely to be a feeble trough stretching from Punjab to southwest UP. There is likely to be light rain over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, West and central Uttar Pradesh which may bring marginal relief. But night temperatures will start dropping only in the second half of October,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate and meteorology at Skymet Weather.
“Temperatures normally spike after monsoon because of clear skies and bright sunshine. The cloud cover is gone,” added Palawat.
“We normally see a peak in temperatures in October. This will recede gradually and humidity levels will go down but it will take a few days,” said M Mohapatra, director general, IMD.
There is likely to be above normal rainfall during October over most parts of the country at 115% of the long period average, IMD forecast on Tuesday. Day and night temperatures are also likely to be above normal over the country during October, IMD has warned.
The LPA of rainfall over the country during October based on data from 1971 to 2020 is 75.4 mm.
The spatial distribution suggests above normal rainfall in most parts of the country during October except few parts of northeast India; northwest India and south Peninsula which are likely to experience normal to below normal rainfall.
Again, maximum temperatures are expected to be above normal over most parts of the country except some parts of central and adjoining south peninsular India, IMD said. Minimum or night time temperatues however are expected to be above normal over almost all parts of the country, IMD warned. This is mainly expected because of cloud cover which doesnt allow heat to radiate back.
IMD has forecast enhanced rainfall activity very likely to continue over Northeast India, Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during next 6-7days. The withdrawal line of monsoon continues to pass through Lakhimpur Kheri, Shivpuri, Kota, Udaipur, Deesa, Surendranagar, Junagarh. Conditions are favourable for further withdrawal of Southwest Monsoon from remaining parts of West Uttar Pradesh, some more parts Madhya Pradesh, remaining parts of East Rajasthan, some more parts of Gujarat and some parts of Maharashtra during next 2-3 days.