Parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan are reeling under extreme heat with temperatures still breaching a 40°C mark. After the withdrawal of monsoon, this region routinely enters the ‘second summer’ wherein the mercury shoots to uncomfortable 40s. Border areas in West Rajasthan, Saurashtra & Kutch and North Gujarat are typically the hottest in the country, more so, during the second half of October.
The nights are not as oppressive as the days in these parts of the country. The night temperatures drop to mid-20s, except along the coastal towns. The temperature exceeded 39°C yesterday at Bhuj (39.9°C), Rajkot (39.7°C) and Deesa (39.8°C). The border areas of Rajasthan breached 40°mark: Barmer (40.5°C), Bikaner (40°C) and Jaisalmer (39.6°C). The main reason for this pocket to heat up around this time is extreme temperatures across the border over the Pakistan region. After the withdrawal of monsoon, dry winds and clear skies, raise the insolation and the nature of the soil adds on to it. In Pakistan, the border stations were further hotter with the temperature in excess of 40°C at Hyderabad, Chhor, Jacobabad and Nawabshah. Among these, Nawabshah tops the list with a maximum of 42.4°C.
The heat from across the border gets advected and transported over parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. As such, Kutch and West Rajasthan is semi-arid terrain with the highest specific gravity, leading to sharp and sudden rises in the day temperatures. To compensate, the decline during the nighttime is also equally sharp. Once the westerly systems become active across the northern parts of Pakistan and India, these temperatures will ease out considerably. There may not be any major relief for the next one week or so. However, all these temperatures are expected to plunge to the mid-30s anytime after the first week of November.
