As mercury soars, Kerala witnesses warmest January ever

Summer
Representational image

Kochi: The soaring temperatures across Kerala in the month of January has taken many by surprise.

While Kottayam experienced 37 degrees Celsius as the maximum temperature on Thursday, the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) area in Ernakulam district has recorded 37.1 degree Celsius.

Earlier, the highest temperature was recorded at 36.6 degrees Celsius in January 30, 2017 in Kottayam.

State capital Thiruvananthapuram recorded a maximum of 34 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 26 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.

Other places in Kerala with their maximums at 35 or beyond were Alapuzha (36), kozhikode (36) Punalur (35).

Private weather forecasting agency Skymet said, "The entire West coast of India comprising the states of Kerala and Karnataka has been witnessing a gradual rise in the day temperatures for the last three days now. In fact, one or two pockets have recorded all-time high temperature for the month of January already."

It said the reason for the exceptionally high temperature is the easterly and southeasterly inland winds which are blowing until late afternoon.

"Summer-like situation has arrived on the West Coast in the month of January itself," it said.

Weather experts say the southern part of the country experience high temperature and it is an "abnormal anomaly".

"This is a record. People are experiencing the temperature of month of March in January", according to S Abhilash, joint director of Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research, Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).

He said drywind due to anticyclonic circulation was one of the reasons for the situation.

This trend may continue for three to four days, he added.

(With inputs from PTI.)

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