Scanty pre-monsoon rain in some areas fails to ease 36°C-plus heat

Panaji: Parts of Goa, especially Sanguem and Salcete, received brisk showers on Saturday, bringing some relief from sultry conditions, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Panaji, recorded maximum temperatures above 36°C for the fourth consecutive day.

The mercury, which stood at 34.7°C on Sunday, rose to 35°C on Monday and peaked at 36.5°C on Wednesday, 2.4 degrees above normal.

Temperatures recorded in Panaji are considered representative of the state. However, with sea breezes moderating conditions along the coast, temperatures in the hinterland are likely to have been at least a couple of degrees higher this week.

Heatwave-like conditions prevailed during the afternoon, causing discomfort and dehydration. Nights, too, remained warm, with minimum temperatures hovering above 26°C and 27°C through the week.

IMD, Panaji, recorded maximum temperatures of 36.2°C on Thursday and 36.1°C on both Friday and Saturday.

The pre-monsoon season remained weak, with the rainfall deficit widening to 67.4%. Against the normal rainfall of 14.8mm for this period, only 4.8mm has been recorded so far.

At the peak of the season so far, only trace rainfall of 0.3mm was recorded in the 24-hour period ending Friday morning and 0.1mm till Saturday morning. Sanquelim was the only centre to record 0.8mm on Saturday morning and trace rainfall on Friday. The highest daily average rainfall this season was 2.9mm on April 26.

On Saturday afternoon, skies turned cloudy after IMD, Panaji, issued four nowcasts between 2.45pm and 5.09pm, warning of possible rain over Bardez, Sanguem, Quepem, Dharbandora and Salcete talukas.The cloudy conditions are likely to have been caused by an upper-air cyclonic circulation over the southeast Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area off the Kerala coast, extending up to 1.5km above mean sea level.