Summer may hit Hyderabad early

According to officials from the IMD-Hyderabad, the onset of summer is anticipated during the second week of March, but whether El Nino will have an impact in the upcoming summer season is still ‘up in the air’

Hyderabad: As the mercury begins its slow climb, Hyderabad is bracing itself for the imminent arrival of summer, with speculations about the elusive El Nino effect adding an air of uncertainty. According to officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD)-Hyderabad, the onset of summer is anticipated during the second week of March, but whether El Nino will have an impact in the upcoming summer season is still ‘up in the air’.

Dr A Shravani, scientist at IMD-Hyderabad, said while an early onset of summer is expected, the potential impact of El Nino is yet to be confirmed. “We are still unsure about the El Nino effect; it may enhance or diminish. Clarity on this matter is anticipated by the end of February,” she stated.

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In the midst of this meteorological ambiguity, Hyderabad residents are already experiencing a premature taste of summer. Daytime temperatures have been steadily rising, with the average maximum temperature settling at 32.1 degrees Celsius on Monday. The maximum temperature at Secunderabad was 34.6 degrees Celsius.

The situation in districts is turning more intense. The maximum temperatures are soaring above 35 degrees Celsius. At Jayashankar and Kumram Bheem, temperatures reached 36.9 degrees Celsius on Monday, while at Jagtial, it was 36.7 degrees Celsius.

The winter chill that typically graces January and February in the city seemed to be less pronounced this year, as nighttime temperatures seldom dipped below 20 degrees Celsius.

Despite these warm conditions, Dr Shravani stated that winter has not bid adieu to Hyderabad entirely. She explained that while temperatures are expected to surge in the next three days, a subsequent drop will precede another rise, offering a weather rollercoaster for residents.

According to the Telangana State Development Planning Society ‘Weather and Climatology of Telangana‘ report, the State is highly vulnerable to heat waves.
The heat wave season starts from the month of March and goes on till end of May and sometimes extends up to the first week of June if there is any delay in the onset of monsoon. The extreme maximum temperature in summer reached around 48 degrees Celsius in some years over Mancherial, Adilabad, Jagtial, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam, Nalgonda and Suryapet.

The report further stated that during the last nine years, the annual maximum temperatures are shown highest in 2016 and lowest temperature in 2021. The temperature trends slightly decreased during the last three years due to the prevailing La Nina conditions over the equatorial Pacific region, strong easterly winds from Bay of Bengal which provided moisture and cloudy conditions over the State.

What is El Nino?

The El Nino phenomenon, a warm phase of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), plays a pivotal role in shaping weather and climate patterns. In India, El Nino is associated with harsher summers and weaker monsoons. Conversely, La Nina, the cold phase of ENSO, is linked to robust monsoons, above-average rainfall, and colder winters.