Gujarat Heat Build Up Likely Over Weekend, Quick Relief Will Follow

Most parts of Gujarat have witnessed a rise in the mercury during the last two days. Many cities like Bhuj, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Baroda, Amreli and Dang exceeded 40°C in the past 24 hours. There is nothing very unusual about rising temperatures around this time of the year. And this is the second round of high temperatures this season. The second week of March was the hottest so far, with mercury rising to 43.5°C in Rajkot on 14th March, the highest in the country this season, along with Boudh (Odisha) with a similar read on 17th March.

The extreme temperature in Gujarat is unlikely to be sustained for the next few days. The presence of a western disturbance up north and cyclonic circulation over Central Pakistan and Rajasthan is drawing southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea in the lower levels. These are moist winds, but not searing enough to sustain the 40°C mark over most parts. More so, the twin cities of Capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad will find a significant drop over the next 3 days. The heat will build up again around the fag end of the month, anytime from 29th March onward. The steep hike may get halted once again on account of some unseasonal light rain in some parts of the state between 30th March and 2nd April 2025.

The state of Gujarat, along with West Rajasthan, bordering Pakistan, is the hottest pocket on the western frontiers of the country. Interiors of Odisha on the eastern side and some parts of Central Peninsular India flag mark the hottest places during the pre-monsoon season. The heat over these parts is likely to build up after the recession of western disturbances in the north and the subjugation of equatorial systems in the south. The western, central and eastern parts dominate the heat index as the season proceeds through the months of April and May.