Ahmedabad: Feels like summer already? Sunday gave a feel of what it’s going to be like when Ahmedabad, along with 12 other districts, faces heatwave conditions starting Monday. On Sunday, mercury in Ahmedabad shot up to a searing 38.7 degrees celsius, 4.5 degrees above normal, burning away whatever coolness some days of the fortnight gone by have experienced. The minimum temperature of 21 degrees, too, was 3.1 degrees above normal. An India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast says that Monday’s maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 39 degrees and 22 degrees, respectively.
The other districts to be swept by the heatwave are Kutch, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Botad, Surat, and Valsad. Vadodara is likely to begin facing the heat from Wednesday onwards, the forecast says.
According to IMD officials, this is one of the earliest onsets of heatwaves for Gujarat, as intense heat with temperatures above 40 degrees usually starts after the second or third week of March. Heatwave conditions in the state started on Saturday with Rajkot, Kutch and Surendranagar districts feeling the impact.
“Maximum temperatures are very likely to be in the range of 40-42 degrees celsius during the next three to four days in the interior parts of Saurashtra-Kutch, adjoining parts of the North Gujarat region, and over some parts of the South Gujarat region. Due to this, heat wave conditions are very likely to prevail over these parts,” the IMD forecast states.
Three cities recorded maximum temperatures crossing 40 degrees – Rajkot recorded the highest at 41.1 degrees, followed by Surendranagar at 40.5 degrees and Bhuj at 40.4 degrees. The heat could be unrelenting with minimum temperatures too expected to climb by two to three degrees this week, IMD says besides predicting high heat and high humidity in coastal areas.
The rising heat may affect the health of people, especially the vulnerable like infants and the elderly. Healthcare experts have advised people to take precautionary measures like avoiding being outdoors for long, and staying hydrated. Experts said that the region is experiencing northerly to northwesterly winds, and any respite from heat is unlikely.