Heatwave alert in state till June 11

Ranchi: The Ranchi office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday extended its heatwave alert for the state to June 11 amid possibilities of a delayed onset of southwest monsoon in Jharkhand.
Heatwave alerts are issued when the maximum temperature rise by four to five degrees Celsius.
The onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala is delayed. As its effect, the southwest monsoon currents are expected to break over the state after June 20, the weather scientists said.
Though the IMD predicted isolated rains with gusty winds up to 40 kilometres an hour in isolated parts of the state in the next two days, weather scientists announced that the state’s daytime temperatures will largely remain unaffected by the isolated showers.
As on Wednesday evening, daytime temperatures in Daltonganj, Jamshedpur, Ranchi, and Bokaro hovered close to four degrees above normal.
“While north-eastern parts of Jharkhand experienced heatwave conditions on Wednesday, similar weather conditions are expected in isolated pockets of eastern and central parts of the state on Thursday. Heatwave conditions are expected in central, northeast, southern, and central Jharkhand on June 9. Similar conditions would prevail across the state between June 10 and June 11,” IMD Ranchi said.
High humidity levels in Ranchi (62%), Jamshedpur (80%), and Bokaro-Thermal (73%) added to the discomfort of people.
Bus stands in the city wore a deserted look. “People are hardly coming out of their homes after 11 am. It is also becoming difficult for us to operate during the afternoons due to the heat,” Sudhakar Prasad, an e-rickshaw driver, said.
The scorching heat has pushed up the sales of ice-creams, fruit juice and soft drinks.
Shilpi Kumari, a college student, said, “I usually prefer having tea at roadside stalls when I am on my way to attend classes. But now, I have switched to fruit juice, ice-creams and coconut water to keep myself hydrated.”