HYDERABAD: Hyderabad’s weather this monsoon has been swinging between scorching sunshine and sudden, heavy showers, sometimes within minutes — a pattern that has been unusual in recent years.
According to the weatherman, the absence of a low-pressure system or trough in the vicinity is resulting in limited cloud formation and only brief passing showers over the city, leading to the erratic weather pattern.
For the past week, temperatures in Hyderabad have been more reminiscent of peak summer. Then, suddenly, a downpour lasts for five minutes or so, only to be followed almost immediately by bright sunshine.
“I cannot understand whether it is summer or rainy season. Sometimes, it feels like summer and suddenly it starts raining,” said a city resident.
Several residents said the weather pattern in Hyderabad was beginning to resemble that of the Himalayan region, where sunshine and rain can alternate rapidly.
When contacted, IMD Hyderabad Director S Stella said the absence of a favourable weather system was responsible for the short spells of rain.
“There’s no synoptic system like a low-pressure area nearby or a trough to give good rainfall. So, not many clouds form and we get only passing showers or short spells,” she said.
Asked whether the unusual weather pattern could be attributed to pollution or ecological imbalance, Stella said, “Pollution is always there. Due to El Niño, below-normal rainfall is predicted this season. There is no low-pressure area or trough over or near Telangana, and so not many clouds are forming to bring good rains.”
The IMD has forecast partly cloudy skies, with light rain or drizzle, over the city during the next week. For the next 24 hours, Hyderabad is likely to experience generally cloudy skies, with light rain accompanied by strong surface winds of 30-40 kmph at some places.
The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 30°C and 23°C, respectively. Surface winds are expected to be westerly at speeds of around 8-10 kmph.