VIJAYAWADA:With mercury levels slowly and steadily increasing in the state heralding the onset of summer, people have started bracing for the intense heat in store for them for the next three to three-and-half months.
The maximum temperature in the city touched 36 degrees Celsius on Monday and more or less remained the same on Tuesday. The highest temperature of 39 degrees Celsius was recorded in Kadapa and Anantapur districts. And, with dry weather prevailing in the state, temperatures rose at one or two places in coastal Andhra Pradesh also.
Meanwhile, weather experts have predicted a gradual increase of temperatures in coming days, to touch the peak by the last week of May or the first week of June. ‘’Summer will prevail till the onset of south-west monsoon sometime between the first and the second week of June. Till date, the trend has been normal and temperature values have not departed from the normal values,’’ M Narasimha Rao, assistant meteorologist at the , Hyderabad Met Centre, said.
“However, if there are no cyclones and depressions in the Bay of Bengal as during the last summer, the State should brace itself for an intense summer with possible severe heat conditions by end of May. Summer is also a cyclone period in Bay of Bengal and the cyclone systems in the Bay of Bengal actually help in regulating the temperatures and reduce the intensity of the summer”; he explained.
“If the cyclone or depression forms over Bay of Bengal, cloud formation will be there over several parts of the state and that will greatly reduce the temperatures, thus giving relief from the summer heat. It was not the case the previous summer and we were in for a long summer, which continued till the end of June. It was followed by a weak monsoon. How the Summer will be this time is too early to predict,’’ Rao said.
As per the normal trend, the temperatures will soar up to anywhere between 40 - 42 degrees Celsius.
Going by available data, Krishna and Guntur normally experience near heat wave conditions during summer.
According to experts, the heat wave conditions or severe heat wave conditions are experienced when there is a prolonged dry spell with temperatures near 45 degrees Celsius - i.e, 5 or 6 degrees above normal. ‘’It may occur during May, if there is prolonged presence of north-westerly dry hot winds and lack of any storm front over Bay of Bengal,’’ they added.
Demand for air-coolers, air-conditioners goes up
With the onset of summer, the demand for air-coolers and air-conditioners has increased. Shopping malls are seen making arrangements for special summer sales. Those who cannot afford these costly contraptions to beat the heat of summer, are queueing up for the traditional green bamboo mats or ‘Vettiveru Chapalu’ to hang them in front of the varandas or windows to reduce the heat radiation into their houses. The demand for earthen pots too is expected to increase in coming days. Street vendors selling watermelons, fruit juices are witnessing a jump in their sales.
SUMMER-TIME PRECAUTIONS
Experts say the intensity of Sun’s rays will be more between 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and will be severe between 12 noon and 7 p.m. in summer. They say that people should take plenty of water, salt, coconut water and fruit juices, which will help them ward off sunstroke and dehydration. People should also keep to the shades and ensure minimum direct exposure to the Sun when they venture out during the day.
HIGHEST RECORDED TEMPERATURES
The highest-ever recorded temperature in Andhra Pradesh was 48.8 degrees Celsius at Gannavaram (Krishna district) on May 11, 2002, followed by 48.2 degrees Celsius at Rentachintala (Guntur district) on May 23, 2002 and 47.8 degrees Celsius at Machilipatnam on May 25, 1906. In Telangana, the highest ever recorded temperature - 48.6 degrees Celsius was at Bhadrachalam on May 9 1973, followed by 47.8 degrees Celsius in Hanumakonda on June 3, 2003.