As the State has stepped into the second half of February, mercury is showing signs of beginning its summer climb. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) here on Saturday forecast that maximum temperatures are very likely to be around 37°C in Kannur, Kottayam, and Kozhikode districts, and 36°C in Alappuzha on Sunday, around 3 to 4°C above the normal temperature during the season.
The Health department has issued a health advisory urging people to avoid direct sunlight between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and stay hydrated at all times. People are also urged to drink plenty of water even if they don’t feel thirsty, as the rising temperature may cause dehydration and physical uneasiness.
Workers engaged in outdoor work under the sun between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. should be given breaks as exposing oneself to direct sunlight for a certain period will lead to sunburn, heat rashes, and heat stroke, Health Minister Veena George has said. The Minister also stated that urgent instructions have been given to all primary health centres, community health centres, taluk hospitals, district hospitals, General Hospitals, and Medical College Superintendents to ensure timely and proper treatment of heat-related health problems.
According to IMD officials, temperatures will peak in the State in March and in the first half of April. The absence of occasional showers coupled with the drying effect of El Niño, which continues in the tropical Pacific Ocean, is likely to push the mercury upward in the coming days. The latest climate models also do not support the probability of cyclogenesis over the North Indian Ocean during the next two weeks. As a result, dry weather will prevail over the State with minimum and maximum temperatures ruling higher than the long-period average of the season, officials added.
