KOCHI: The weather in the district is veering towards extremes since the start of 2020. If it rains one day, the sun comes out in its blazing fury the very next day. People are worried that they are in for a very hot and dry spell in April and May. This is something that the weather experts predict too.“Though the temperature in March showed no huge divergence from what it was last year, there has been a slight increase in temperature. In February, the temperatures jumped by two to three-degree celsius from the normal,” said Abhilash S, assistant professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Cusat. According to him, February was an anomaly.
“On Friday, the temperature recorded in Kochi city was 34-degree Celsius. From March 26, there will a further increase in the temperature. It is expected that the temperature might go up to 35 to 36-degree Celsius in the district. However, in Kochi, there might be only a slight increase of 0.5 to one-degree Celsius,” he said.
As for sun-burn incidents, they happen when there is an increase in the ultraviolet (UV) index. “So far in the district, the UV index measure has come to around 11. The UV index is high from 11 am to 2 pm, the peak time when the sun is at its zenith. An increase in UV index can cause sunburns if there is a long term exposure to sunlight,” said Abhilash.
However, in the coming days, many places in the state can expect sporadic rain, he added. “This might lead to a drop in temperature. But, we are in for a harsh summer if there is no rain towards the end of April and in May,” said Abhilash. However, according to Dr N K Kuttappan, district medical officer (DMO), the district has not seen a single sunburn case since March.
“However, the same couldn’t be said about the same period last year. In March 2019, 54 cases were reported in the district. It was 62 in April and 3 in May,” he said. According to him, the absence of any sunburn cases might be due to the Covid-19 scare which has forced people indoors. “But this is just March. April and May are yet to come. However, we don’t expect any situation like 2019,” he said.
sunburn
In 2019, March 54 cases of sunburn were reported in the district. It was 62 in April and 3 in May. This year, not a single case has been reported.