The capital city of Bhubaneswar created a weather history as it shattered city’s 30-year-old record by experiencing 45.7 degree Celsius on Monday – the highest ever temperature measured for the month of April.
Monday saw the daytime temperature rising steadily from the morning. The temperature had already touched 44 degree Celsius by 11.30 am. By noon, it went up by another 4 degree Celsius. One hour after, the daytime temperature was recorded at 45.2 degree Celsius, breaking the previous record high of 45 degree Celsius set on April 23, 1985.
By 2 pm, the temperature peaked at 45.7 degree Celsius in Bhubaneswar – which is 1.6 degree higher than Sunday.
For more than a week, coastal Odisha particularly Bhubaneswar has been witnessing unrelenting heat wave. Scorching heat level at 45.7 degree Celsius, which is 7 to 8 degree Celsius higher than normal temperature, has paralysed normal life in the Capital City.
On Monday, roads in Bhubaneswar wore a deserted look as people preferred to stay inside home and took shelter under tree canopies. According to environmentalists, growth in concrete structures and gradual denudation of green cover has turned the city into a heat island.
The government has already enforced morning school hour for both government and private educational institutes. The day time work involving physical labour has been rescheduled in two shifts. Work between 11 am and 3 pm has been completely prohibited.
“Due to stable atmosphere, the air could not move upwards as a result of which condition does not get favourable for cloud formation. Since October, there has been no visible rainfall in the State. The dry nature of soil also helps reflection of heat,” said India Meteorological Department, Odisha Director Sarat Chandra Sahu here on Monday.
“The hot wind coming from western and north-western sector was passing through central India where temperature remained above 40 degree Celsius which also helps in increasing the heat. We call the phenomenon in meteorological term as advection of heat,” Dr. Sahu elaborated.
He said the temperature experienced at 2 pm exceeded all time high temperature recorded since 1952 in the month of April.
Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre has predicted that similar condition would prevail for next week as there is very little chance of thundershower. Besides, atmospheric systems, which often cause rains, could not be detected. Slow sea breeze has also made the matter worse for coastal Odisha.
According to Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre source, by 2 pm, daytime temperature has exceeded 40 degree Celsius mark at 17 places. It is also recorded that maximum temperature has been remaining by 1 to 2 degree Celsius in western parts of the State.
