It looks like the weather in the entire country is becoming warm. Right from North India which had been experiencing icy cold weather in the last few weeks to South India, the maximums are showing a rising trend. South India is currently the hottest region in India. Records show, parts of coastal Karnataka, Kerala, and almost the entire west coast of peninsular India are already witnessing very warm weather as maximums are settling in the mid and higher thirties, which is 2 to 4 degrees above normal.
Here’s how the day temperatures looked in some cities in the last 48 hours:
| Cities | Maximum on 26th Jan | Maximum on 27th Jan |
| Karwar | 37⁰C | 37⁰C |
| Honawar | 35⁰C | 35.5⁰C |
| Mangalore | 35⁰C | 36.2⁰C |
| Kunoor | 34.9⁰C | 34.1⁰C |
| Kotayam | 35.2⁰C | 35⁰C |
| Mumbai | 34.8⁰C | 34.3⁰C |
| Ratnagiri | 35.7⁰C | 34.8⁰C |
| Goa | 35.5⁰C | 35⁰C |
Maximum temperatures in most cities along the west coast has been very high for over a week, particularly from the 22nd of January they have been consistently maintaining around and above 34⁰C, majorly because of flat easterly winds which travel from the land rather than from the sea. However, this rise in temperatures and occasional showers becoming more common are precursors to the change in the weather of South India, thus announcing a change in the season. As we head towards February, a gradual onset of summer is likely in this part of the country”, explains a senior meteorologist at Skymet Weather.
Forecasts indicate, there could be partial or no relief from the hot weather in South India, particularly along the west coast. Maximums will continue to record between 34 to 37⁰C, making the days unusually hot and uneasy. Those who were earlier seen escaping from the freezing cold weather in North India by going to Mumbai, Goa and Kerala, will most likely want to change their travel plans now.
“We have been planning to go to Goa for Valentine’s Day and we are keeping a tab of the weather there. The days are already nearing 35⁰C, we are frankly in a dilemma as to whether we will enjoy at the beach or not”, says Shalini Dixit, a dance teacher from Jaipur. Though we hear nights are quite cool and breezy”, she added.
Unlike the maximums, the minimums along the west coast have been maintaining near the normal, i.e. between 18 to 21⁰C, thus bringing much relief from the day’s hot and humid weather. There have also been incidents of isolated light rain in Trichy and Chennai in the last 24 to 48 hours, due to localized activities. And our weathermen tell us, before Thursday there could be another odd spell of very light rain at south coastal Tamil Nadu because of some clouding in southwest Bay of Bengal. This spell of rain will however, fail to bring any change in the maximum temperatures in South India.
Photo by Travelnonu.
