THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : At a time when Kerala reels under one of its harshest summers, following prolonged dry spells and erratic weather patterns, the state is faced with a major challenge due to inadequate weather readings and infrastructure.
Adding to the woes, weather experts point out that the national criteria for declaring heatwaves are not suited for Kerala’s weather patterns. High humidity levels with moderate temperatures make the summer worse for Kerala, due to its tropical climate, they say. Even as the summer plays havoc, weather experts and agencies here are grappling with inadequate predictions that hinder more specific warnings to the public.
The 100 automatic weather stations installed by IMD (Indian Meteorology Department) have been giving erratic and invalid predictions. There are also no weather stations in four districts – Kasargod, Wayanad, Idukki and Pathanamthitta – thus, failing to provide a comprehensive picture of prevailing summer conditions.State Disaster Management Authority member secretary Shekar Kuriakose said that the national criteria for heat wave declaration is not suited for Kerala.
“We need to develop local thresholds for heat-related health warnings. We need to undertake studies in this regard and have already initiated steps to come up with state-specific criteria that will be essential for the state in the coming years,” he said.
According to IMD, a heat wave is defined as a maximum temperature of 40 degree Celsius or more for plains, 37 degree Celsius or more for coastal stations and 30 degrees Celsius for hilly regions. An increase of 4 to 5 degrees Celsius from the normal temperature is considered as heatwave condition, while an increase of 6 degree Celsius or more is considered severe heatwave condition.
“We are having a moist heat wave situation in Kerala because of the rise in temperature and humidity. The heat we experience here is way more than the actual temperature.Unfortunately, the state is unable to meet the criteria set by the IMD and National Disaster Management Authority. The state government should take steps and collaborate with IMD and come up with state-specific criteria,” said scientist MG Manoj. He stressed the need for more research in this area.
