Heat to intensify in Ranchi and other parts of Jharkhand: IMD

Ranchi: With rain unlikely, summer heat is set to intensify over Ranchi and other parts of Jharkhand in the coming week.

The Ranchi office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its weather forecast for all 24 districts between May 24 and May 29, predicted gradual rise in daytime mercury.

“Daytime temperature will remain above normal in the next 48 hours. Barring parts of northeastern Jharkhand, isolated and localised showers are unlikely. Maximum temperatures are expected to return to normal from May 28 onwards,” IMD Ranchi director S D Kotal told TOI.

On Sunday, Ranchi recorded 40.8 degree Celsius, four notches above the normal average. Jamshedpur recorded 39.4 degree Celsius and Daltonganj recorded 44.3 degree Celsius. Chaibasa recorded close to 41 degree Celsius, while Bokaro was close to 40 degree Celsius.

Weathermen said the rise in mercury was due to the absence of moisture over Jharkhand and a change in the wind pattern. “While the atmosphere is devoid of moisture, hot north-westerlies are blowing into Jharkhand from central India. But the wind pattern is likely to change again at the end of this month and moisture will be fed from the Bay of Bengal,” Kotal added.

While warm winds blew in Ranchi and most parts of the state, weather office said the parameters did not match for a heatwave alert to be issued. In Met parlance, heatwave alert is issued after daytime temperatures record an increase of five degree Celsius or more for a minimum of three consecutive days.