Currently, Gujarat on the western shore and the states of West Bengal and Odisha on the eastern side are the hottest pockets of the country. Competing with these regions, interior parts of Andhra Pradesh also witnessed blazing temperatures. Mercury soared to 44.7°C at Nandyal, the highest of this season, so far. While in Gujarat, Sabarmati city of Ahmedabad breached 43°C to record 43.7°C, the highest of this season, Odisha was not far behind and Bhubaneshwar & Angul also crossed 43°C, yesterday. Interiors of Odisha covering Titlagarh, Sambalpur and Malkangiri were all in excess of 42°C. Heatwave has been sweeping these parts for the last few days. Even, the neighbouring state of West Bengal is smouldering in parts with mercury in excess of 41°C at Bankura, Panagarh and Midnapore. The state capital just shied away from the 40°C mark and registered 39.6°C at Dumdum airport observatory. Some relief is coming up for the eastern states, early next week.
A cyclonic circulation, as a part of the extension of the pre-monsoon Peninsular Trough, is coming up over North Telangana, South Chhattisgarh and adjoining Odisha on 20th April. This will shift eastward, getting closer to the coast on 21st April. Anticyclone over the Bay of Bengal will fuel moist wind over the circulatory region. Persisting heat will act as a catalyst to trigger rain and thunderstorms over the area.
Odisha may get some relief starting on 21st April and the weather activity will continue till 25th April and recede thereafter. Parts of Gangetic West Bengal will have scattered rain and thundershowers on the 22nd and 23rd of April. The spread will shrink on 24th April to get confined to extreme southern parts like Digha, Contai, Diamond Harbour etc. The activity will vacate the state on 25th April to make way for clear weather conditions for the rest of the week. The activity will persist over Odisha on 25th April, as well and exit the next day, on 26th April. In addition to thunderstorm activity with strong winds, there is the likelihood of some hailstorm activity at some places during this period.
Image Credit: static.theprint.in
