The extremely hot weather in the city triggered fears of El Nino effect, the supposedly terrifying weather phenomenon, but weathermen disagree.
The simmering heat is stifling life in city, and there seems to be no relief in sight. Temperatures have been rising above normal levels in many places in the coastal region, as dry weather conditions prevail.
In Vijayawada, temperature touched 40 degree Celsius, against the normal temperature of 39.8 degrees Celsius at this time of the year. Similarly, Visakhapatnam has recorded a maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius as against the average temperature of 32.7 degrees Celsius.
Allaying public fears on the ‘El Nino’ factor, weathermen say it is not unusual for the temperature to rise during May-end and the first week of June in cities like Vijayawada.
“There are many theories on El Nino. It is believed that its impact is felt on rains and not on temperatures. So far, El Nino has remained neutral, but it may turn positive by July-end of first week of September,” says K. Ramachandra Rao, Director of Met Department at Visakhapatnam.
Ruling out the possibility of the temperature touching 50 degrees Celsius this summer, he says the maximum temperature recorded at Machilipatnam was 48 degrees Celsius, and it is unlikely to happen this summer.
Vijayawada city recorded a maximum temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius in 2002. Last year, the highest it recorded was 47 degrees Celsius.
In 1978, Kakinada recorded 46.9 degrees Celsius, while it was 42.0 degrees Celsius in Visakhapatnam.
According to the Met Department, people feel that the temperature is very high due to the presence of dry winds from westerly direction and lack of moisture content in the air. The high temperatures may also cause severe thunderstorms in evenings and nights. The temperature will keep increasing till mid-June, and there will be no respite, they say.
The oppressive heat, meanwhile, has been confining people in city to indoors even during daytime leaving the roads abandoned in the afternoons.
