Thiruvananthapuram: Mercury level will continue to rise in Kerala as the onset of the southwest monsoon has been delayed; the hot and humid spell is to stay for a few more days, the meteorology department said.

The India Meteorological Department predicted that discomfort due to hot weather is highly likely in Kozhikode, Kannur, Palakkad, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Thrissur districts due to the high temperature and humid air in the next two days.

IMD has sounded a yellow alert for these six districts on Saturday as the maximum temperature is likely to go up by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius in some districts on Saturday.

Kozhikode is likely to record a maximum temperature of 37 degrees Celsius on Saturday. At the same time, the temperature may touch 36 degrees Celsius in Kannur and Palakkad districts. According to the IMD forecast, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Thrissur districts are likely to record a maximum temperature of 35 degrees Celsius

What is a Yellow alert?
A yellow alert means the weather conditions are expected to be relatively mild, but still warrant caution. A yellow alert is issued when the temperature is expected to be between 35 degree Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius or when the heat index is expected to be between 41 degrees Celsius and 47 degrees Celsius. In addition, a yellow alert is issued for a heatwave when the maximum temperature is expected to be between 40 degrees Celsius and 42 degrees Celsius for two consecutive days.