The maximum temperature in Telangana crossed the 44-degree mark for the first time this month. The temperature in the state is expected to rise in the next 72 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
With Cyclone Mocha intensifying, Telangana is likely to witness a stronger heat wave soon. The IMD issued a warning that the maximum temperature is likely to rise by 2°C to 3°C in some isolated TS pockets.
The almost constant spell of summer rains in April kept Telangana’s temperature down making it the wettest April. The emergence of Cyclone Mocha over the southwest Bay of Bengal has blocked moisture-laden winds and this will raise the maximum temperature.
“Cyclone Mocha is enjoying absolute favourite conditions like low wind shear and high sea surface temperature. It will intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and later a very severe cyclonic storm. The stronger the cyclone, the more severe the heat wave in TS. The cyclone is taking away the entire moisture and making the air dry, resulting in a severe heat wave,” weather expert T. Balaji said.
The IMD said that Mocha intensified into a severe cyclonic storm at 1730 IST on Thursday. It lay centred near latitude 12.2 N and longitude 88.0 E about 520 km west of Port Blair 1,100 km southwest of Cox Bazaar in Bangladesh at 1730 hours IST on Thursday. However, there was scattered rain in Telangana.
“This kind of rain generally occurs when a cyclone is forming, but once the cyclone starts building up, the heat will be massive. It’s already burning hot in rural Telangana. Hyderabad too will become very hot in coming days. It is a severe heat wave in rural TS as the temperature has crossed 44°C,” Balaji said.
On Thursday Jaina in Jagityal and Veenavanka in Karimnagar recorded 44.3 degrees Celsius. The TSDPS issued a red alert in Jagityal, Mancherial, Nalgonda, Khammam, Peddapalli and Suryapet where temperatures are expected to cross 45 degrees Celsius.
The TSDPS has issued an orange alert for other areas in TS. The GHMC area recorded 37 degrees Celsius.
“Maximum temperatures are expected to range from 39 degrees Celsius to 44 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperatures will range from 26 degrees Celsius to 29 degrees Celsius,” the TSDPS said.
