Jamshedpur to experience extreme heat wave during next 48 hours

Jamshedpur, March 27:Brace up to face the Celsius onslaught for another few days as the weather god is in no mood of showing mercy to the region which is on the boil. The heat wave alert has been issued across the state for another 48- hours even as several places recorded the hottest day today. The city recorded 39 degrees Celsius today.

Weathermen said the alert was to stay on as the maximum temperature at several areas has crossed five degrees above normal.

“ There will be no respite from the scorching heat for the next 48- hours at least. The chart analysis and other observations suggest that there will not be much change in the weather condition in the next two days.  We have issued a heat wave alert as the maximum temperature in several places is rising,” said an official of the Meteorological Office.

He explained that in the absence of rain, the mercury was witnessing a steeper rise. ” Strong westerly winds are dominating over the state and it is preventing the easterly winds from taking over. We are expecting a change in the wind pattern only after the next 48-hours,” said the senior Met official.

Notably, Jamshedpur has a record of maximum temperature in June 1942. Data revealed that on June 11 ( today is also June 11), 1942, the steel city recorded the highest maximum reading of 47.2 degree Celsius.

With mercury shooting up across the region prompting the weather department to issue a heat wave alert in isolated pockets. A senior official of Meteorological Centre said that in several places of southern Jharkhand including Jamshedpur, the day temperature today recorded four notches above normal and they have issued a heat wave.

“The state is in the grip of dry westerly winds, which are pushing up day temperatures. The rising trend of temperature is likely to continue for the next 48-hours as we don’t see any rain relief in today’s chart analysis,” said. The maximum readings in neighbouring  Chaibasa ( West Singhbhum) and Ghatshila ( East Singhbhum) also soared to over 39 degree Celsius today.

Weathermen pointed out that the Celsius surge contrasted with a sharp fall in minimum relative humidity today resulting in dry heat at several places. Loo, the dry wind that normally sweeps through the plains during this time of the season,  today prevailed in Jamshedpur and some other places in the afternoon.

Weathermen predicted that due to westerly winds, day temperature will continue to witness an upward trend. ” There is no possibility of rainfall  in the next 2-3 days as the moisture level has come down considerably in most places across Jharkhand. Presently, westerly wind is prevailing over Jharkhand which does not help in moisture incursion into the atmosphere,” explained a weather analyst.