Skymet weather

Cold wave to persist over north India; rain to increase in extreme south

Cold wave conditions will continue over north India during the next two days. Day temperatures would continue to be below normal with foggy conditions during this period. Snowfall and rain is expected over Jammu & Kashmir during the next 48 hours. Maximum temperatures would fall by 2 to 4°C over Indo-Gangetic plains during the next 48 hours. Rain will increase over extreme southern parts of the country during this period.

The cold wave-like conditions would continue to persist over northwest, east and central India during the next 48 hours. Icy winds will be witnessed as the Western Disturbance that stops them has moved away. These winds would keep the minimum temperatures around 5°C or below over northwest plains.

Snowfall and rain would again occur over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from January 3 onwards. Cloudy to partly cloudy sky will be witnessed in these states during the next 48 hours.

A fresh Western Disturbance is expected to arrive over Jammu & Kashmir tomorrow that will again help stabilize the temperatures but severe cold conditions may grip north India after its exits by January 5. The Western Disturbance is prevailing over north Pakistan as a cyclonic circulation.

Due to dense foggy conditions and less sunshine, the maximum temperatures over Indo-Gangetic plains will drop by 2 to 4°C. Maximum temperatures are already below normal by 2 to 3°C over these plains.

In the extreme southern parts of the country, the trough of low pressure area near southeast Bay of Bengal has moved towards southwest Bay of Bengal. The cyclonic circulation associated with this area will continue to give rain over Tamil Nadu and Kerala during the next 24 hours. Moisture from this circulation will also reach Vidarbha, east Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to give rain at a couple of places during the next 24 hours.

The weather system will move closer to eastern coast thus increasing rainfall along the coast. Moisture could also reach up to Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal to give rain at one or two places after the next 24 hours.

Weather in major airports of India on Jan 1, 2013

Weather in Delhi airport may witness increase in fog during the next 24 hours. The weather in Indian airports in eastern parts of the country has improved.

Here’s a forecast for the weather in Indian airports during the next 24 hours.

Weather in Indian airports

Sri Guru Ram Dass jee International airport, Amritsar

Moderate foggy conditions will persist over Amritsar during the next 24 hours. Flight operations may get affected during early morning hours, as fog will turn dense.

Indira Gandhi International airport New Delhi

Moderate fog in Delhi airport is expected. Dense fog in pockets is also likely to prevail over Delhi. Early morning flights could get disrupted if winds turn northerly as humidity level is also high, at up to 100% at times and the minimum temperature would drop as well.

Chaudhary Charan Singh International airport, Lucknow

Fog will remain away from Lucknow airport during the next 24 hours because of northerly winds with less moisture content. Visibility will not disrupt flight operations from the airport.

Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narayan airport, Patna

Westerly to northerly winds are prevailing in Patna so there is no chance of disruption in flight operations. The sky will remain mainly clear and visibility is also good.

Netaji Subash Chandra Bose airport, Kolkata

Easterly to northerly winds over Kolkata will blow during the next 24 hours. Shallow fog will appear in Kolkata but that would not affect flight arrivals and departures.

Lal Bahadur Shashtri Airport, Varanasi

Fog conditions have improved in Varanasi as moisture content in the air has decreased. Shallow fog is expected. Northeasterly to westerly winds are expected to blow over the airport area.

Bangaluru International airport, Bangalore

Easterly to southeasterly winds blowing at a speed of 5 to 10kmph would be witnessed over Bangalore and fog chances are dim. The sky will remain party cloudy with a humidity level of around 97 percent during early morning hours.

 

Photograph by Flying Cloud

Temperatures to dip over northwest; fog, cold to reduce over east UP, Bihar

The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to fall over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and west Uttar Pradesh during the next two days. Fog as well as cold wave conditions are expected to reduce at east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during the next 48 hours. Rain would continue over Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka during this period.

The Western Disturbance responsible for cold and fog relief over northwest parts of the country is now placed over eastern Jammu & Kashmir and would move away in an east-northeastwards. Thus rain and snowfall over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand would also reduce.

Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will have snow or rain at one or two places during the next 24 hours. These places would become more or less dry thereafter.

So, with the exit of warm and moist winds from the region, cool and dry conditions would again become prevalent over northwestern parts of country as icy northerly to northwesterly winds will blow over this region. Night as well as day temperatures are expected to fall by 2 to 4 degrees during the next 48 hours over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Rajasthan.

Maximum temperatures are expected to fall by 2 to 3 degrees during the next 48 hours over Indo-Gangetic plains. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar will see abatement in cold and fog conditions during the next two days as winds have turn westerly. Due to more sunshine, days will become warmer to raise the maximum temperatures. However night temperatures would fall by 1 to 3 degrees as winds during night will be northerly to northeasterly.

The trough of low pressure area near Comorin-Maldives area to Kerala coast now extends from Maldives. Rain is expected to lessen over Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep after the next 24 hours. A trough of low pressure area in the southeast Bay of Bengal will give rain at a few places over the Andaman & Nicobar Islands during the next 24 hour.

 

Photograph by theDoGoodDames

Weather of Chennai during Summers

The gateway to south India, Chennai famous for its beaches, historical, traditional Tanjavore paintings and ‘sambhar’, and infamous for its scorching summers when the temperatures easily rises to more than 40⁰C. The high degree of heat and humidity are the characteristics of the Chennai weather in India. Mahesh Palawat, Head of the Forecasting team at Skymet Weather informs that the highest temperature witnessed so far in Chennai in the summers has been 42⁰C, indicating that this weather of Chennai in 2012 was a record breaking.

Effects of global warming are no more new and unheard off. The frequent changes in the weather of Chennai and all the other cities of India has been raising concerns for many scientists, researchers, weather forecasters, historians and even the common man. Weather forecasters say, rising temperatures in the summer season are common but to this extent and this rapidly is pretty alarming. Veena Reddy, born and brought up in Chennai, shares her experience of the weather of Chennai in the summers. “Chennai summers are that time of the year when we groan each morning and the searing heat scorches our bodies and mind”. This painfully hot weather in Chennai brings other woes too as tempers run high, sweat pours down in little irritating rivulets and erratic power supply and frequent power cut test the patience of of everyone. Summer weather in Chennai is clearly a phenomenon. Love it or hate it, but you can’t ignore it!

As people avoid going out during the day, in the evening the weather in Chennai becomes relatively pleasant. Beaches get crowded and people come to enjoy the cool sea breeze as temperature drops to mid-twenties (22⁰C to 25⁰C). But the summer season in Chennai has its benefits too. It heralds luscious mangoes and juicy watermelons and easy working hours and holidays for schools and colleges. Besides, there are two things that sell the most, Cotton and coconut water!

But the people may not be this patient or optimistic forever as temperatures are only expected to rise in the coming years. Data collected by Regional Meteorological Office (RMC) revealed that from 1906 to 2009 there has been a significant rise in the average temperature in the city during the summers. The RMC analyzed weather of Chennai by studying the months of March, April, May and June and the temperature variation chart showed an increase of 1.8⁰C in the mean temperature in March, meaning that the average temperature of 32.2⁰C in March 1906 had risen to 34⁰C till 2010. Forecasters also say that the coastal cities of the world will not only be the first to face the brunt of the changing global situation but will also face the worst.

Photo by ruffin_ready.

Climate change in northeast India

When Jatin Singh, CEO of Skymet, was planning to set up a private company that forecasts weather and provides weather solutions to power, insurance and agro sectors, he knew it won’t be easy as new challenges due to the ever changing global warming patterns are being faced every day. And this is more so in the places that are still far from being educating about weather.

‘Paradise Unexplored’, northeast India is a region with much diversity and culture. The region is quite vulnerable to the impacts of a changing climate and has faced the wrath of adverse weather events in the recent past. While some say northeast India has a very low adaptability level owing to the less development there. The climate in northeast India is typically a monsoon climate. Heavy rains, floods and humid conditions throughout the day are common here.

According to the report, an increase in precipitation in 2030s will be the maximum in the Himalayan region and the Northeast region. The weather in the northeast will also see a rise in the temperature by 1.8°C to 2.1°C. Also, the number of rainy days could increase by 1-10 days with intensity of rainfall in the region to increase by 1-6 mm/day. This is cause for alarm in the region as many parts are prone to landslides and floods, which are only aggravated by heavy rainfall. This adds to the already problematic and hard to deal with flood situations the northeast every year.

Forecasters at Skymet say the climate of northeast India changing can also be proven by the amount of rainfall recorded in Cherrapunji in 2012 till the month of August ( 10,604mm approx) was already way higher than what it was in 2011 (close to 9,000mm). A great concern for the Northeast therefore also lies in the projected threat of severe malaria as climate change will lead to wetter and also warmer periods.

Jatin says, “The assessment research on the climate and the changes in the weather of northeast is a complex challenge because it includes physical, biological and socio-economic aspects too. People should be pro-active and need to be sensitized in regards to the fast changing weather of the northeast regions. The lack of suitable and adequately documented data is something that makes it too difficult to single handedly predict about the weather.”

Though one thing is clear, the climate of northeast India will definitely be impacted and people should begin to gear up for adverse weather. For this, each one of us will need to come forward to do our bit, as it is our future at stake now!

Photo by Rajkumar1220.

 

Punjab’s climate important for economy

An inland delta of five converging rivers, Punjab is the largest agriculture capital of India. The weather of Punjab thus plays an important role with its effect on the agro industry and has a profound effect on the economic development of a region. Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy and about 65% of Indian population depends directly on agriculture and it accounts for around 22% of its GDP and agriculture derives its importance from the fact that it works on a vital supply and demand rule. It has also a great bearing on the social and cultural activities of the people.

Weather in Punjab in India is characterized by extreme hot and extreme cold conditions. Annual temperatures in Punjab range from 2 to 40°C (min/max), but can reach up to 47°C (117°F) in summer and 0°C in the winter season. Punjab is the ‘Granary of India’ as it is the largest producer of wheat in India and a major producer of rice and potato too. But falling fertility of the soil and excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides over the years has put the agro industry into trouble and has raised various questions on its effect on the economy of India in the long run. Another worry that has been noticed is the rapidly falling water table on which almost 90% of the agriculture depends; alarming drops have been witnessed in recent years. By some estimates, groundwater is falling by a meter or more per year. The late onset of the monsoons in 2012 has already had an adverse affect on kharif crop production in the entire country. This then led to the late sowing of winter crops in Punjab.

Seeing the change in the weather of Punjab this year, scientists and agriculturists are already raising concerns about whether the 161 lakh hectare production target of wheat in Punjab in India will be achieved or not. To make matters worse, there are also chances of ground frost as the weather in Punjab in January 2013 could be freezing as temperatures could fall below 2⁰C. Earlier in the year, the weather in Punjab remained dry because of very little rain; a rain deficit of 69% was recorded by end of June. Skymet weather has already forecasted no rain for Punjab for the coming week because of a weak ‘Western Disturbance’. If this happens, the critical need of water for the wheat crop will have to be fulfilled by the water left in the reservoirs which too is only 60%. This CRI (crown root initiation) stage due to less water, plus the raised MSP (minimum support price) of wheat by the government, has already forced the poor farmers to change to other crops next year.

Scientist and Doctor at Skymet Weather, NVK Chakravarty, says “the government should further raise knowledge and information on the weather in Punjab and other major agricultural states of India, to not just help the destitute farmer who depends on rain and suitable weather every year to sow his crop, but also to help India as a country to grow economically and socially to be at par with other developed nations”. He also adds, “The only way this could be done is by promoting private weather companies, other than the India Metrological Department as well to provide more accurate weather data”.

Photo by CIDSE.

 

Weather in major airports of India on 29 December 2012

Fog remains the main hindrance in flight operations during winters in India. Here is a fog update for major airports in India for the next 24 hours.

Moderate to dense Fog

Indira Gandhi International airport, New Delhi-Early morning flight operations could be affected due to dense fog in Delhi airport. Moderate to dense fog in packets is expected over Delhi during the next 24 hours.

Sri Guru Ram Dass jee International airport, Amritsar- Flight operations could also take a hit in Amritsar during the morning hours as moderate to dense fog is expected. Moderate fog will continue over Amritsar during the next 24 hours.

Moderate Fog

Netaji Subash Chandra Bose airport, Kolkata- Moderate foggy conditions would be witnessed over Kolkata during the next 24 hours but as visibility is good, flight operations will be unaffected.

Lal Bahadur Shashtri Airport, Varanasi- Moderate fog is expected at Varanasi airport, but it will not affect flight arrivals and departures.

No Fog

Chaudhary Charan Singh International airport, Lucknow- No fog is expected in Lucknow airport during the next 24 hours

Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narayan airport, Patn- Northerly to northwesterly winds are prevailing here so there is no fog in Patna. Flight operations will be smooth under a clear sky.

Bangaluru International airport, Bangalore- The airport will remain fog free during the next 24 hours, and arrivals and departures will be smooth.

 

Photograph by Sitomon

Snowfall & rain continues in J&K, HP, Uttarakhand; cold wave abatement likely in north

Snowfall and rain is likely to continue over northwest hills and plains during the next 48 hours. Minimum temperatures are likely to increase by 2 to 3 degrees over northwest, central and adjoining east India during the next two days. Rain will continue over Tamil Nadu, Kerala and is expected in   Karnataka and south Andhra Pradesh during the next 24 hours.

Heavy snowfall is expected at one or two places over Jammu & Kashmir during the next 48 hours as the expected Western Disturbance has arrived. Light to moderate rain and snow is expected at many places over hills of J&K and at a few places over Himachal Pradesh during next 24 hours, thereafter weather would be dry.

The relatively warm and moist winds from the Mediterranean Sea would cut off the northerly winds for a period of about 48 hours to bring relief from existing cold wave conditions over northwestern parts of the country as minimum temperatures would raise by 2 to 3 degrees during this period.

Winds of east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar will blow from the westerly direction. These westerly winds will turn over west Bengal and would then blow from north. Temperatures of Bihar and adjoining east India have risen during the last two days. Day temperatures will remain stable. But marginal fall in minimum temperatures is expected. Moderate to dense fog would continue over east India. Jharkhand and Orissa will not be affected by fog. These states will have mist or haze in morning hours.

Cold wave conditions over central and adjoining east India would abate a bit during the next 24 hours as winds have turned southeasterly. Day and night temperatures are expected to be rise by 2 to 3 degrees during this period.

In the south, the easterly wave is affecting the weather in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. A few places in coastal Tamil Nadu and one or two places in south Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala could receive rain during the next 24 hours.

5 Ways to protect dandruff in winter

When the weather in India turns cold, one start developing dry and scaly skin, cold and flu become common and dieticians and doctors advice people to eat properly and appropriately to keep warm as the freezing weather of India could lead to various other health problems like sudden high blood pressure, asthma and joint pains. But that’s not all. People often complain of hair trouble i.e. dandruff in the winter months. This often makes hair fall way more, than in colder weather than during the hot weather in India.

Why do we get dandruff in winter?

Cold and dry winds during winter leads to the occurrence of winter dandruff. It can also be caused due the presence of central heating in your house or office that eventually dries out the home and work environment further. Dandruff during winter occurs in the form of smaller and less oily flakes as compared to the other skin conditions. The white dust and flakes that you see in your hair and on your shoulders comprises of dead skin cells.

Resolving this dandruff issue is easy and resolving it in the winters, is easier! Before we list down things that need to be followed, we would suggest what not to do for dandruff. Everyone loves a hot water bath when it’s biting cold outside, but having a bath with very hot water not only makes the skin dry but also aggravates hair troubles further. Besides the use of chemical based shampoos to get rid of dandruff is only a temporary solution. A permanent solution therefore lies in using simple home remedies cited below:

1) Massage hair with sour curd and keep it for 30 to 45 minutes. Now rinse and wash hair with lukewarm water as usual. It would help in getting rid of dandruff.

2) People who have oily dandruff could end their dandruff woes by simply using a lemon. Apply lemon juice to your scalp. Let it stay for a few minutes, until it dries and wash hair normally as you do.

3) Famous Indian herb Methi or Fenugreek also helps in curing dandruff and hair loss. Take a handful of fenugreek seeds and soak them in water overnight. Apply the seeds and use the same water to rinse hair. Avoid washing hair with a chemical shampoo after this. Follow this procedure for couple of weeks for effective elimination of dandruff.

4) Prepare a hair pack by mixing fuller’s earth (a sort of a clay) with lemon juice. Fullers earth is easily available at Ayurvedic stores. This pack will not only remove dandruff but will make the hair shine.

5) Lastly massage your hair with mustard, almond, castor or coconut oil once every week (avoid using readily available, good smelling oils in the market) An oil massage will moisturize the scalp and will prevent it from going dry, keeping dandruff at bay.

Other than these, here are some points to keep in mind:

1) Regular hair wash and massage your scalp - washing your hair regularly and massaging your scalp gently can improve your hair condition. It helps in reducing the white flakes. Also, allows the shampoo to act on your hair for a period of 5 minutes so that the active ingredients can effectively work against the dandruff. Washing hair too frequently with a chemical based shampoo in the winters can also worsen the problem.

2) Use a humidifier - You can use a humidifier at your work place and home that can restore the moisture back into the air. You can go for a cool mist humidifier, as it helps in cleaning and drying of your humidifier regularly.

3) Health diets - take care of your diet as it can go a long way in keeping the dandruff away and maintain the healthy hair. Changing your diet to consume more zinc, omega3 fats, flaxseeds, walnuts, eggs and leafy vegetables and Indian gooseberry (Amla) could help immensely.

Also note, as the climate in India changes, understanding your body needs and therefore changing your habits accordingly becomes essential.

No more hiding your scalp under a cap, just note these simple ways to enjoy the cold weather of India!

Photo by o5com.

 

Save water for the future generations!

We are more aware of our environment than ever. Changes in the global weather patterns and the serious global warming effects have impacted the climate of India faster than imagined. This has posed a threat to our water resources and it won’t be wrong to say that future generations might not be left with a drop of water to drink. As the weather in India is seen changing rapidly with cold winter months turning into warmer months and monsoons going dry, the climate of India might soon witness only the summer season! We all waste water…just think about how long the tap is left running each time you brush your teeth. Saving water now will not just keep some water for our future generations but will also help in saving precious energy and moolah too!

There are a number of ways to save water and they all start with you. These are ten simple ways to save water in our households:

1) Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap. Collect this water to reuse to water plants.

2) Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 150 gallons/567litres a month. Use a water-efficient shower head. They're inexpensive, easy to install and save large quantities of water.

3) Check for leaks in the toilets, pools and house interiors. Try putting a food coloring substance in your toilet tank; if it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak! Fixing this leak can save up to 1,000 gallons/3785litres a month.

4) Monitor your water bill annually for unusually high use. Your bill and a water meter device are tools that can help you discover leaks, usage and wastage of water. Adjust your watering schedule each month to match seasonal weather conditions.

5) Parents often teach kids on how to save water and to use it wisely while brushing (we can save 94liters while brushing), but this time also teach them to turn off the faucets tightly after each use. Remember each drop is precious! Also consider brushing your teeth while bathing in the shower.

6) Water your plants deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth and dry weather tolerance. Group plants with the same watering needs to avoid over watering some while under-watering others. Using a rain gauge or using a basic empty can help you track the rainfall on your lawn and reducing your water usage accordingly.

7) Wash your car with plain water on the lawn, and you'll end up watering your lawn at the same time.

8 ) Drop your tissue in the trash instead of flushing it and save water every time.

9) Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on water and energy while the color of your favorite dress remains intact.

10) Look for products bearing the EPA (Water Sense Label) for items that are certified to save 20% water.

Water covers two-thirds of the surface of the Earth, but fresh water is a mere 0.002% on Earth. Don’t let the water run in the sink since our life’s on the brink!!!

Photo by freeaussiestock

 

 

 

5 fruits you should enjoy in winter

Pomegranate
Pomegranate seeds are high in polyphenols, plant chemicals that fight inflammation. Mix the seeds into oatmeal for more flavor and crunch.

Guava
Guava has a slightly spicy flavor, like cinnamon. Bonus: The yellow-to-bright-red beauty gives you as many antioxidants as broccoli does. Peel and eat the guava fresh, or puree the pulp and add citrus juice, onion and spices for a sauce to pour over grilled chicken.

Papaya
Cut through its thick skin to get the juicy insides: Papaya is a great source of skin-saving vitamin A and Papain, an enzyme that aids digestion. Use chopped ripe papaya to sweeten spicy tomato salsa. If it’s still green, shred and toss with sesame-soy dressing for an Asian slaw.

Orange
A naturally occurring hybrid of tangerine, grapefruit and orange, one Citrus fruit delivers nearly three quarters of a day’s dose of vitamin C. Section it as you would an orange. Use the juice in glazes and sauces, or cut up big chunks to add to fruit salad.

Prickly pear
It sounds sharp, but the prickly pear is actually mild and tasty. One cup has nearly 10 percent of your daily calcium requirements. Most of the rind’s needles are removed by the time the fruit reaches your market. Peel and section, discard seeds and add to cereal.

 

Photograph by Beamillion

Weather forecast in major Indian airports on December 28, 2012

The weather in Delhi airport will further improve during the next 24 hours. Fog in Indian airports in the eastern parts of the country reduced considerably and will remain so during the next 24 hours. Here is a forecast update for the weather in Indian airports during the next 24 hours

 

Fog in Indian airports

Sri Guru Ram Dass jee International airport,  Amritsar: Dense foggy conditions have reduced leading to better flight operations from the airport. Shallow fog is expected over Amritsar but flights arrival and departure would be on time.

Indira Gandhi International airport, New Delhi: Shallow fog in Delhi airport is expected. The visibility would be around 200 to 1000m. Flight operations would remain on time. The city will experience southeasterly winds during the next 24 hours.

Weather in other Indian airports

Chaudhary Charan Singh International airport, Lucknow: Fog will stay away from Lucknow airport during the next 24 hours, as westerly winds would blow during the early morning hours. The day will see southeasterly winds but with rising days temperatures humidity is not enough to form fog.

Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narayan airport, Patna: Northerly to northwesterly winds are prevailing here so there is no fog in Patna. Flight operations will be smooth under a clear sky.

Netaji Subash Chandra Bose airport, Kolkata: Northerly winds over Kolkata will keep fog away. Flight take off and landing at The Netajee Subash Chandra Bose International airport will be on time under an open sky.

Lal Bahadur Shashtri Airport, Varanasi: Shallow fog is expected at Varanasi airport but it will not affect flight arrivals and departures.

Bangaluru International airport, Bangalore: Northeasterly to easterly winds and rising night temperatures have ruled out any fog over Bangalore airport during the next 24 hours.

 

Photograph by Cliff1066







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