BENGALURU: THERE are strong indications that the summer season will arrive earlier than usual this year, officials of Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) have said.
With the sea surface temperatures in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal increasing, the effect is being felt in the peninsular states including Karnataka, where the maximum temperature has gone up by 2-3 degrees Celsius. The coastal town of Karwar has witnessed a jump of 4.5 degrees Celsius at 37.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the hottest in India, they said.
Prof MB Rajegowda, Agrometeorologist at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), said the summer this year is advanced by at least 25 days. "Even the summer showers — which normally arrive in April second week — can be expected in March itself. Depending on the quantum of rain we receive during summer, we can predict the monsoon," he said.
Normally, winter extends up to February-end after which signs of summer start showing. But over the past couple of days, temperature have increased all of a sudden.
KSNDMC officials point out that the clear skies and lack of wind, in combination with the increased sea surface temperatures, are contributing to the rise in temperatures.
According to the National Weather Forecasting Centre under the India Meteorological Department, maximum temperatures were appreciably above normal, ranging between 3 and 5 degrees Celsius at different places across India.
KSNDMC Director Srinivas Reddy said that for the last two-three days, there is an increase in surface temperature of Arabian Sea as well as Bay of Bengal. Karnataka being a coastal state, the impact of the heat is seen in many parts. Sunil Gavaskar, Project Scientist, KSNDMC, said there is constant increase in temperatures over the past few years. In Bengaluru -- once called the Garden City -- the average maximum temperature in January was 28 degrees Celsius, which has increased to 32 degrees Celsius this year.
On Thursday, the maximum temperature in Bengaluru was 32.6 degreess Celsius. This has remained constant for the last three days and is likely to continue for a few more days, but there are no signs of rains or clouds. “This temperature is summer-like, just that in summer there will be no dry wind. With dry wind, we feel cracks on the skin,’’ he said.
Prof Rajegowda said that the winter season has drastically shrunk in the last few years. "This year, after the second week of October, there was no rain. This has reduced soil moisture as well as water content in the atmosphere. This has also resulted in minimum temperature not decreasing during winter. In places like Madikeri, the temperature would decrease between December second week and January second week. But we did not see that happen. Instead, there was an increase in temperature. Even in Bengaluru, the minimum temperature during winter would go down to about 9 degrees Celsius, but this time, it did not go below 14 degrees Celsius." He, however, said this would not have much impact on horticultural crops.
