Skymet weather

IPL WEATHER DELHI, 18th of April

DELHI DAREDEVILS VS CHENNAI SUPER KINGS
Ferozshah Kotla Stadium
Match starts at 8pm

Temperature would come down by at least 6 to 7 degrees when the local team Delhi Daredevils will try to register their first win of the tournament against mighty Chennai Super Kings here at Feroz Shah Kotla grounds in Delhi.

Weather conditions will be pleasant for both the teams in the 24th T20 cricket match in the ongoing Indian Premier League tournament. Northerly winds blowing at around 5 kmph will gain in pace at the start of the match and will be penetrating at around 10 kmph from the northeast direction as the game closes in.

Sky in Delhi will be mainly clear to prosper fall in temperature to mid-twenties as heat will radiate fast. Dugouts of both teams will be relieved to find humidity levels favourable in the national capital between 8 to 11 pm.

Delhi has maintained above average day temperatures during the last two days whereas morning temperatures have remained below the average minimum temperature. The average maximum day temperature during April in Delhi is 36 degrees while the minimum average mean temperature is 21.3 degrees.

 

Photograph by Binguyen

High day temperatures in Delhi to sustain; rain likely over J&K, NE and extreme south

Day temperature that rose above 40 degrees in Delhi in the last 24 hours would sustain till Saturday. With this, maximum temperatures in northwest plains of Punjab, Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh would also remain 4 to 5 degrees above the mean temperature in the next two to three days. Rain is likely to continue over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the next 24 hours. There may be showers in northwest plains as well during the period. The weather would turn dry in these parts possibly till the weekend. Rain in northeast parts of the country is likely to continue during the next couple of days. It will also continue to occur at one or two places in east central India and over extreme south during the period.

Day temperatures in Delhi broke the 40 degrees barrier first time this year as the Safdarjang observatory recorded 40.2 degrees yesterday 16th of April. Such high temperature trend is likely to continue in coming two to three days possibly till Sunday. Another Western Disturbance that is expected over the Western Himalayan Region by 19th of April onwards would bring down the day temperatures.

The present Western Disturbance over Jammu & Kashmir and the associated cyclonic circulation in north Rajasthan will continue to affect the north and northwest parts in the next 24 hours. A few places in Jammu & Kashmir and one or two places in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will receive rain or thunder showers during the period. The plains of Punjab, Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh could also have showers at one or two places. The weather would turn dry as the weather system will move away by tomorrow onward.

Rain will also occur at one or two places in Gangetic West Bengal, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa as a trough of low pressure area runs from east Bihar to south Tamil Nadu across Orissa, Chhattisgarh and interior Andhra Pradesh.

In south, north coastal Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu will get rain at one or two places in coming 48 hours. Andhra Pradesh will get rain at some places in its north coastal parts due to the above mentioned trough. While Kerala and Tamil Nadu will see rain at one or two places due to collision of moist winds from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Northeast parts of the country has a cyclonic circulation over Meghalaya that would continue to bring rain in Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura during the next two days.

Summer fashion mistakes by men

Ever imagined that the season that requires the least amount of clothing could leave the most room for fashion disasters? Well it does..! Experts say there’s something about the heat that makes men shamelessly abandon any sensibility they normally would exercise during the rest of the year. Some say, “It’s the slowness of the season which gives the permission to take a vacation from discriminating tastes.”

Summer has a set of style no-nos for men. These are the three deadly style sins of men’s summer fashion that are most common:

Cargo shorts - You remember cargo shorts which were in fashion about two decades ago!! This one is the biggest summer fashion mistake made by men, without fail, every summer season. The huge pockets bow out at the sides and can store everything from lunch leftovers to a small child! It’s time to try a silhouette from this century. Cuts of which are slimmer and patterns range from bold plaids to seersucker; even everyday khaki is a fine choice. The secret to a great pair of men's shorts is finding ones that don’t stray away from a straight line running from hip to hem. And speaking of hems, yours should always end an inch or two above the knee. Always!!

Socks and Shoes- Any other time of the year, we seek to keep our feet bundled up in warm socks: be it a low-cut athletic pair for the gym socks, or the heavy-duty wool variety in the cold months. But don’t you know boys.. summer calls for no socks at all, especially with the footwear of the season -- namely, men's sandals, drivers and boat shoes. Suffocating your feet in any of these with a bright white pair of socks would only make your feet stink more in the sweaty months. Though if you still insist on coverage of some sort, invest in knot socks, a good no-show alternative.

Strong Fragrances - Summer may be hot and heavy, but that heavy cologne from last winter is just too much musk for summer’s sweat. The combination of a weighty, woody scent and your natural eau can be nauseating at this time of the year for your colleagues in office or people traveling with you everyday. Summer is the signal to switch to something light and lean. Anything with citrus notes or hints of grass like Vetiver is exactly what you want when the sun kick-starts the water works.

Best seasons storybooks for kids

Has your pre-school kid been asking questions about the sun, moon, earth, planets, rain and rainbows? Well, all children are curious to know what causes the seasons at a growing age. Seasons might not be a big factor in the daily life of people but it is definitely a curious question in the kid’s mind. Below are some cute story books on seasons that will answer all their questions and keep them engaged.

A King Cobra’s Summer - By Janaki Lenin and Illustrated by Maya Ramaswamy is a beautiful read that is set in the verdant Western Ghats, this story brings to life all the strange life forms that Kaala the king cobra comes across when he finds himself far away from his home in the areca nut plantation. This vibrant story sensitizes children to the plight of the forests and the king cobra. This is easily available at stores or can be bought from prathambooks.org

 

 

Moon Ramu and I - After several failed attempts, Agar Magar finally makes it big. Come take a tour of the mighty river, the deep forest and the big town as Agar Magar go places, flaunting his sparkling, shiny teeth and his famous smile. The language is simple, the idea of going to the moon appeals immensely to kids. Brightly coloured illustration by Harshverdhan Kadam adds to the beauty of the wonderful book.

First Sun Stories : Unusual Folk Tales from the Northeast - This picture book is a collection of folk tales from North East India, lovingly retold and illustrated for children. The story of creation from the Ao people, a Khasi tale of how the peacock’s tail got its golden spots, the story of the hornbill girl from the Meitis, the Tejimola legend of Assam and so much more.

The Reasons For Seasons - Clear and accessible explanations are paired with Gibbon's trademark bright illustrations in this well-done introduction to seasons. Gibbons covers solstices, equinoxes, the earth's tilt and orbit and all the basics. This is just what teachers need to fill that open niche in their curriculum plans and not just in summer camps!

When The Wind Stops - In this "perfect introduction to natural science, a young boy asks his mother a series of questions about wind, clouds, seasons, etc. Her responses are full of rich verbal imagery and paired by vibrant paint-on-wood illustrations. This book is written by Charlotte Zolotow and illustrated beautifully by Stefano Vitale. A must read all kids of 4 to 8 years of age.

 

 

How mango got its name; interesting facts about ‘Aam’

Summer welcomes in the mango months in India but have you ever wondered about the origin of oldest (6000 years) and the most famous fruit in the world. Here are some interesting insights about the origin and unknown facts about our very own ‘Aam’, you never knew :

- Botanically the species Magnifera Indica originated in the Eastern Himalayas in the India-Burma (Myamnar) border, several thousand years ago.

- In Sanskrit, one the earliest known languages spoken in that part of India, it is called aamra.  The fruit itself is called aamra-phalam.  In the neighboring plains of North India where Hindi is the spoken language it is called aam-phal.  The tree then migrated to the south of the Vindhyas where Tamil was the spoken language. The equivalent in Tamil of the Hindi word phal is kaay.  So aam-phal became aam-kaay. In course of time aam-kaay became maamkaay due to transposition of pronounciation. The aamkaay then gradually became maamkaay or maangai. In Malayalam language, which is a descendant of Tamil, maangai became maanga.

- Until Vasco da Gama landed in Calicut, a port town in the Malabar Coast of Kerala, the mango fruit was not known to Europeans.  The Portuguese adopted the Malayalam word maanga in Portuguese. Who then wrote a letter to their British friends that they have found a new fruit in India called manga. Since there were no typewriters and the letter was written by hand, the British renamed it as mango, since most of Portuguese words end in “o” and those found in the new world ended in “o” as in avocado, potato, tomato, tobacco, and so on. This new word soon entered the English vocabulary.

- Mango is called the ‘King of Fruits’ and rules the hearts of everyone around the world. It comes in 550 varieties. It can be consumed in many forms - straight from tree as a fruit, extract from the fruit as juice / nectar, its pulp processed as jam and chutney, spicy as a pickle, mixed with milk and curds as shakes.

- In 2009, a Filipino couple Sergio and Maria Socorro Bodiongan grew a 3.5-kilo mango in their backyard in Iligan City on Mindanao Island, which entered the Guinnees Book of World Records. The mango measured 12 inches in length and seven inches in diameter and was derived from the Florida Keith variety.

- The skin of the mango isn’t considered edible. Mango leaves too are considered toxic and can possibly kill cattle or other grazing livestock. Dermatitis can also result from contact with the resinous latex sap that drips from the stem end when mangoes are harvested.  Burning of mango wood can create toxic fumes that can cause serious irritation to eyes and lungs.

- An average sized mango can contain up to 40% of your daily fiber requirement. If you are eating your mango-a-day you will be spared from constipation, piles. Mangoes are rich in antioxidants such as beta-carotene, and Vitamin C, Antioxidants have been shown to play an important role in the prevention of cancer and heart disease.

- A mango stored at 12⁰C to 15⁰C will last for up to two weeks and doesn’t require any refrigeration.

- India Produces 1,63,37,400 tons of Mango every year and is the largest producer in the world.

- International Mango Festival celebrates everything about the King of all tropical fruits, ‘Mango’ every year at the Delhi Haat, Pitampura where one can savour over 1100 varieties of mangoes and some rare species of the sumptuous fruit. This year the festival will be held from 30th June to 2nd July.

Summer Pizzas

Pizza on the grill? If you love pizza but don’t love eating heavy food in the summer, try these variations of Pizzas at home what wont weigh you down this summer season. To make summer pizza, gather all sorts of summer things you love. Fruit! Herbs! Fresh mozzarella and chicken, to add some protein or to appease the carnivore in you… If you love to eat, you’ll love the combination of toppings and if you love to cook the mixture of all summer ingredients will keep you entertained all summer. Here are some summer pizzas you can easily cook at home.

Summer Veggie Pizza - This pizza isn't just delicious—it's budget-friendly too! At just Rs. 100 per serving, your wallet and your family will thank you. If you have dough left over, freeze it; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use and a gamut of veggies from tomatoes, corn, capsicum, cauliflower, cabbage, mint and basil to peas and potatoes, lying unused in your fridge. If you want to stay away from the unhealthy cheese, add homemade Paneer or cottage cheese to your pizza to make it more desi.

Peach and Gorgonzola Chicken Pizza - Ditch the tomato sauce and give your pizza a makeover by topping with fresh peach slices and different varieties of cheese. A drizzle of tangy balsamic reduction will provide the perfect balance to the sweet summer fruit. You could alternatively substitute with other fruits like pineapples and blackberries. Your husband will love you for this one and kids will happily consume all the fruits they generally don’t enjoy eating much.

Three Cheese Pizza with Spinach - This one is the lightest of all. Make this white summer pizza by adding three different varieties of cheese, namely, part skim ricotta and mozzarella and romano cheese with just a light topping of spinach and some minced garlic for a wonderful flavor. And instead of the usual baked pizza, grill a thin crust pizza.. After all, grilling isn’t just for burgers and hot dogs! Wow your guests at your next house party with a thin crust spinach pizza!

Salad Pizza - Add quick-cooking chicken cutlets and refrigerated pizza dough to a mix of fresh vegetable salad for a light and lovely meal. Don’t forget to add some extra virgin olive oil to make your salad pizza lighter. Diced avocadoes, baby greens, cherry tomatoes, red onions with just a pinch of black pepper and a spoonful of wine vinegar would make an excellent and mouthwatering summer salad pizza.

Classic Margherita Pizza - Take advantage of the fresh tomatoes and basil available to you in the summer by making this simple, classic pie for the family. All you need are a few ingredients to please both kids and parents! It’s an incredibly fun way to get the kids into the kitchen when it’s time to roll out the dough and sprinkle it with toppings. You can even make smaller personal size pizzas to serve as snacks in the evening.

Magnitude 7.8 quake rocks Iran, tremors felt in Delhi

A strong earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale has been reported in Iran-Pakistan border region at 4:14pm (IST). The epicenter of the earthquake was some 86 km away from Khash in Iran. The depth of the earthquake was 15.2 km.

Tremors were also felt across the Indian sub-continent in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Ahmedabad in India reported major tremors. There were no immediate reports of loss of life or damage to property in the capital.

Earlier on 10th of April. at least 37 people were reported to be killed and 850 injured in an earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale in southeast of Bushehr near Persian Gulf in Iran.

 

IPL WEATHER BANGALORE, 16th of April

Royal Challengers Bangalore VS Delhi Daredevils
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
Match starts at 8pm

Pleasant weather conditions will prevail in M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore where Royal Challengers Bangalore will play Delhi Daredevils, the team which is yet to register a win in IPL 2013. The temperature would hover between 29 to 26 degrees during the match and winds would blow from southwest direction from the Arabian Sea.

These sea breeze winds will increase the humidity level from 44% at the start of the match to 57% towards the end and that could make things difficult for the Delhi Daredevils as they are not used to such humid conditions being based far away from the sea-line. Chasing or defending the total will make their players sweat more.

Delhi Daredevils belong to national capital New Delhi which now has a partly cloudy sky and could also see thundery activities accompanied by dust storms by the evening. They will have to fight hard to win their first match of the IPL season 6.

Temperatures have been showing stability in Bangalore for past few days and they would continue to remain so in next few days. The mean day temperature in Bangalore is 34.1 degrees while the mean night temperature is 21.8 degrees during the month of April.

 

Photograph by Schumrossi

IPL WEATHER MOHALI, 16th of April

Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Punjab Cricket Association Ground, Mohali, Chandigarh
Match starts at 4pm

Partly cloudy to clear sky is expected at Punjab Cricket Association Ground in Mohali, Chandigarh when local team Kings XI Punjab will play Kolkata Knight Riders in the 20th Match of IPL 2013. Mohali falls in northern part of the country and is away from the sea-coast so there will not be any concern about the humidity that Kolkata Knight Riders are used to.

Match will start under slightly hot conditions at 4 pm, the time when maximum temperature will be recorded at around 36 degrees but it will fall at least to 29 degrees when the last over of the match will be bowled. The stadium receives winds from north and northwest during most of the time in the year but as there is a Western Disturbance present in the Western Himalayan region that restricts the flow of these winds, southeasterly winds from the Bay of Bengal will reach here to add just a pinch of moisture content in the air.

Thundery development is possible in Chandigarh, but whether this will have an impact during the course of the Match will depend on intensification of local weather conditions.

 

Photograph by Vyom

Save birds this summer

Birds need our help way more in the summer months than at any other time during the year because birds breed in the spring and early summer. For sparrows, pigeons, crows and doves, feeding stations at houses provide a real lifeline. Not only can we all initiate saving these birds during the heat of the summers when the food and water is scarce, we can also help revive the bird population to a large extent.

1) One of the best ways to enjoy wildlife in the comfort of your home is to watch birds at a feeder. You'll be amazed at the variety of birds that will come to your feeder throughout the year. However, experts disagree about whether backyard bird feeding will significantly help bird populations. But feeding certainly can help individual birds in your neighborhood.

2) As the mercury soars to 38⁰C in Delhi, already, water is difficult for them to find plus the heavy construction activity in the city has not made it any easier for the birds to survive therefore placing containers of water and grain at various locations can help the birds survive the hot summer.

3) It's not necessary. Bird feeding is most helpful at times when birds need the most energy, such as during temperature extremes, migration, and in late winter or early spring, when natural seed sources are depleted.

4) Place bird feeders or bowls where the birds can see them from the distance. Birds are most likely to eat where they feel safe from predators, including free-roaming cats.

5) Windows that reflect the sky and trees around them or that are very transparent can confuse the birds, causing them to see a clear flight path, rather than an obstruction.

6) Feed your birds with fruits, bajra, rice, chapatis and nuts. But avoid giving moldy breads since they can toxic for the harmless birds. You can also leave out cooked vegetables, pastry and grated cheese, but avoid salty food as that could be bad for birds.

7) While some can contribute by way of food grains, others could help in building little holdings of water for the birds to drink. Efforts like this therefore should be made at every household or workplace.

Every day, more and more wildlife habitat is lost to the spread of development. But you can help wild animals in urban and suburban areas by offering them sanctuary in your own backyard or garden or balcony, no matter how small and then enjoy the company of your wild neighbors in your house.

Photo by Ritika Acharya.

Cool summer fruits and veggies

As the days of summer get longer and warmer, it can seem nearly impossible at times to keep cool in the blistering heat. Staying cool can depend on much more than just icy-chilled beverages and air conditioning, the foods you eat help too. From ripe and juicy litchis to tangy oranges, this vibrant season enjoys a particularly abundant and colorful array of fresh and seasonal foods. These fruits are simply superb for helping us lower our body temperature to stay cool and refreshed, despite the soaring temperatures! Here are 3 cool fruits and chilled out veggies that will help you stay energized and cool..

Water rich fruits - Fruits that have high water content, and are loaded with essential nutrients and antioxidants, are your best bet for staying cool this summer. These include grapes, apples, pears, peaches, berries, dragon fruit and star fruit, but especially watermelon and litchis. Fruits can be incorporated into your diet in so many different ways. Simply whiz them with milk or yogurt for a healthy smoothie or eat them raw for a mid-morning snack. Nothing screams summer-time like a big wedge of watermelon. A long-time child favorite, it’s time to bring this summer staple back into your diet. Watermelon is made up of 90 percent water, which assists in keeping you well-hydrated in the heat. In addition, watermelon contains loads of vitamins A and C, has no fat and is packed with lycopene, an antioxidant which may aid in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Citrus fruits - Citrus fruits, including oranges, grapes, lemons are among the most cooling of all fruits. Aside from their delicious taste, citrus fruits can keep you healthy and looking younger. Citrus is considered a super-food for healthy skin due to its wide array of phytonutrients that function as antioxidants, including flavanones, and vitamin C. Citrus is also considered to be especially important in digestion as it helps aid the breakdown of rich and fatty foods. Start every day with a tall glass of chilled lemon water. This slightly acidic drink helps to cleanse your system and energize your body. Pack loads of oranges and grapes in your lunch box and store cool in the refrigerator and eat as a between meal. This way you will not just stay cool but will also stay away from munching unhealthy foods during the day.

Cool veggies - There is an abundant supply of vegetables that can help lower body temperature when the heat soars. The best examples are cucumber, radishes, lettuce and leafy greens such as spinach and fresh herbs such as mint. They all contain a significant amount of water and can actually thin the blood and assist your body in releasing heat, which has a cooling effect. There are a myriad of ways to incorporate these vegetables into your diet. Toss them into a vibrant summer salad, wrap them in rice paper to create Thai-inspired veggie rolls or purée them into a cooling green chutney. a) Both mint and peppermint have amazing cooling and relaxing properties, and their brisk aroma has the ability to chase away sluggishness when the heat soars. b) Radishes are summer gems, they certainly don't get enough credit! Radishes have a very high water content and are a great source of vitamin C. c) Cucumber’s especially high water content, coupled with its fresh and crunchy taste, make it a perfect summer veggie. Surely there is nothing as ‘’cool as cucumber’’.

Weather in major airports in India on 16th April 2013

Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
No Delays- Thunderstorms are expected in Delhi tomorrow, the 16th of April. Sky will be partly cloudy. Northerly northwesterly winds would become southeasterly. Day and night temperature may rise a bit.

Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport, Amritsar
No Delays- There could be rain in Amritsar airport tomorrow. Winds would blow from southeast. Temperatures both night and day will be higher than Yesterday.

Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow
No Delays- Sky will be mainly clear in Lucknow airport. Temperature is expected to rise in the morning seeing a rise of up to 3 to 4 degrees from yesterdays 17.6 degrees.

Lal Bahadur Shashtri International Airport, Varanasi
No Delays- Day temperatures would again increase by 2 to 3 degrees in Varanasi. Winds will blow from west direction under a mainly clear sky.

Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Airport, Patna
No Delays- Hot and dry westerly winds would continue in Patna. Day temperature will rise a bit. Sky will be partly cloudy and there are chances of thundery developments in the evening hours.

Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata
No delays- Kolkata could have thundery development during the morning hours till the afternoon tomorrow, the 16th of April as it is under the influence of southerly to southwesterly moist winds. Sky will be partly cloudy and day temperature may drop a bit in the 'City of Joy'.

Bangalore Airport
No delays – Partly cloudy sky will be witnessed in Bangalore. Temperatures would maintain and winds will blow from southwest and west. There is no possibility of rain in Bangalore.

 

Photograph by Hyougushi







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