Unseasonal rainfall douses yellow-coded alert for heat

Panaji: On Tuesday, parts of Goa experienced a spell of unseasonal rainfall, offering relief from the intense heat that gripped the state earlier in the day. Thundershowers with strong winds provided a cooling effect across various regions, including parts of Panaji, Sattari, and Sanquelim, helping to alleviate the sweltering temperatures in both North and South Goa.
Earlier in the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow-coded heat alert for Goa, warning of hot and humid conditions across the state.
A meteorologist and retired National Institute of Oceanography scientist, M R Ramesh Kumar, said that pre-monsoon showers are usually sporadic in nature and highly localised.
“Relative humidity can increase due to the showers; however, it can douse the maximum temperatures,” he said.
On Tuesday, Panaji recorded a maximum temperature of 34.4°C, with the “feels like” temperature reaching a scorching 43°C, as reported by the IMD at 2.30pm. However, by 5.30pm, the weather shifted dramatically, with rain causing the maximum temperature in Panaji to drop to 31.6°C.
“The pre-monsoon rainfall dates can be used as a predictor for the monsoon onset,” Kumar told TOI.