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A family cools off with sugarcane juice as the maximum temperature crossed 33°C in steel city Bokaro on Sunday. Picture by Pankaj Singh
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If March is feeling like May, see it as the lull before the storm to ease your discomfort.
Weathermen have signalled a rise in maximum temperatures beyond the 35°C mark after the next 72 hours, but at the same time have predicted a timely date with heat-buster Nor’westers in the middle of the month.
According to the Patna Meteorological Office, dry westerly winds are dominating over Jharkhand and could cause “drastic” changes in day temperatures this week.
“The weather chart analysis and other observations suggest that the mercury will rise beyond 35°C in the next few days. The state is in the grip of dry westerly winds,” confirmed director A.K. Sen.
The wind pattern on Sunday was north-westerly in most places across the state, including Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Daltonganj, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Hazaribagh, Koderma and Simdega.
Jamshedpur recorded a maximum temperature of over 33°C, while the capital was a tad cooler at around 30°C. Day readings rose by two degrees in 24 hours in Bokaro and Dhanbad. While the steel city recorded 33.2°C, the coal town almost kissed 32°C. The maximum in Daltonganj, considered the state’s heat chamber, was relatively lower at around 31°C.
Met officials explained that the rise in day temperatures would result in formation of a low-pressure area over the state and this would, in turn, trigger Nor’westers.
“The Nor’wester phenomenon had occurred a little late last year. But, this time, the situation is conducive. We are expecting the season’s first storm around the middle of this month,” said T.N. Jha, a weather analyst.
The Nor’wester originates in the Chotanagpur Plateau region due to local weather phenomena and moves with great speed towards Gangetic Bengal, covering several parts of Jharkhand and the neighbouring state.
A duty officer at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Calcutta corroborated Patna’s prediction. “The dry westerly winds are pushing up day temperatures. This condition will prevail for the next 72 hours,” he said.
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