Ranchi/Jamshedpur, Nov. 14: Candidates in the fray for the forthcoming Assembly polls are not only facing the heat in their respective constituencies but on the campaign trail as well thanks to an unusually warm November that is being blamed on Cyclone Phyan.

The last couple of days have been the hottest that November has seen in the last two years, leaving those out on the streets sweating and bothered. Maximum and minimum temperatures across the state have been five to six degrees Celsius above normal this November, leading to a increase in viral fever cases.

“Phyan not only increased normal temperatures but also brought a cloud cover over the region from the South-West, which is unusual for this time of the year,” said J.S. Jojo, weather official at Ranchi Met Office.

As the minimum temperature of the state capital headed north, a similar trend was observed in Jamshedpur, Daltonganj and other cities of Jharkhand. The maximum and minimum temperatures of Ranchi on November 9 were 29.4 degree Celsius and 17.8 degree Celsius respectively. This today reached 30.5 degree Celsius and 20.0 degree Celsius. Similarly, the maximum and minimum temperature in Jamshedpur today was 34.7 degree Celsius and 22.9 degree Celsius respectively.

“This is an abnormal situation. Both the maximum and minimum are 6-7 degree Celsius above normal,” said P. D. Sen, scientific assistant of Jamshedpur meteorological office.

In Daltonganj, the maximum temperature over the last five or six days hovered around 33-34 degree Celsius and the minimum at 21-22 degree Celsius, about five notches higher than normal.

The Patna Meteorological Office, which monitors weather conditions in Jharkhand, said no change was expected in the next 48-hours. “The chart analysis reveals that there will be no significant change in the next 48 hours. The present wind pattern is unfavourable and will not help bring down the temperature,” said a senior scientific analyst at the Patna Meteorological Office.

Some weather scientists, however, attributed the phenomenon to global warming.

“Since 2008, there has been a shift in Jharkhand’s weather pattern, proving that the state has been affected by global warming,” said A. Wadood of Birsa Agriculture University, Kanke.

The unusual weather has brought forth health issues across the region. “We are many viral fever cases, which during this season is not normal,” said Dr A.K. Mahto, medical superintendent of RIMS, Ranchi.