After Gurgaon’s hottest May day since 2015, dust storm likely today

GURUGRAM: The city on Wednesday recorded the hottest day of May in the last two years at 46 degrees Celsius, according to the Met department. The temperature on Tuesday was just a notch lower at 45 degrees Celsius.
The last time the maximum temperature in May had touched 46 degrees Celsius was on May 26, 2015. Last year, the highest during the month of May stood at 44.4 degrees.

The Met department is expecting the heat to persist. The mercury is likely to touch 46 degrees Celsius over the weekend again, officials said. However, the temperature might also come down by 3-4 degrees on Thursday, owing to expected dust storms in eastern UP, officials added. The heatwave will resume and continue till May 28, they said.

Officials pointed out the conditions that have led to the current wave of extreme heat across parts of north India.“The moisture has suddenly dried out. There is practically no moisture in the air, as a result of which air is getting hotter,” an official said. “There are other factors, like absence of flow of winds into NCR that further adds to the problem, and also there’s no active western disturbance around. All these conditions have led to this heat wave.”

Officials said that the heat wave might witness a dip on Thursday, owing to modest dust storms.

“There is currently an upper air cyclonic circulation over parts of Uttar Pradesh, northeastern Rajasthan and NCR. This activity is likely to trigger winds on May 24. So there would be a drop in mercury by 3-4 degrees temporarily and temperatures will continue to rise after that,” officials said.

Doctors in Gurugram said they saw an increase in cases of heat strokes in the past week. “In last one week, we have attended approximately 15-20 cases in OPD and ER with symptoms of heat strokes. People on extremes of ages are more vulnerable to it,” said Dr Satish Koul, senior consultant, internal medicine, Narayan Super Speciality Hospital, DLF Phase 3. “If one has been exposed to sun and they tend to feel feverish, experience headaches and drowsiness, they must immediately consult a doctor. It is highly recommended to avoid foods which are dehydrating, like fried food, food with high caloric and salt content, and to take lots of fluids, around 2-3 litres per day.”