Assam towns sweat it out as ‘feels-like' temp crosses 50 degrees Celsius
Guwahati: Even as the state is yet to fully recover from the first wave of floods caused by monsoon rains, high humidity and rising temperatures made life miserable in Assam's towns and cities, with 'feels-like' temperatures in various parts of the state exceeding 50 degrees Celsius.
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)-endorsed heat index warning chart, the 'feels-like' temperature in Guwahati reached 55 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. In the upper Assam town of North Lakhimpur, which recorded the state's highest maximum temperature on Tuesday, the 'feels-like' temperature approached 58 degrees Celsius as per the heat index.
On Tuesday, the maximum temperature in Guwahati rose to 37.3 degrees Celsius.
However, due to 63 per cent humidity, the 'feels-like' temperature was approximately 55 degrees Celsius according to the heat index chart. North Lakhimpur experienced a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius. Considering the 69 per cent humidity in Lakhimpur during the afternoon, the 'feels-like' temperature increased close to 60 degrees Celsius.
Dibrugarh's maximum temperature was 37.7 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, but the 'feels-like' temperature was around 57 degrees Celsius based on the heat index warning chart and 66 percent humidity.
In the Barak Valley region of South Assam, which remained severely affected by the current floods and housed several hundred people in relief camps, the scorching summer added to the difficulties. On Tuesday, the 'feels-like' temperature in Silchar, when the sun was high, was about 55 degrees Celsius, with a recorded maximum temperature of 37 degrees Celsius and relative humidity of 67 per cent in the afternoon. All these towns and cities in the state were in the red-marked category of the heat index chart.
According to Met officials, areas in the red category face "extreme danger," and heat stroke is likely if precautionary measures are not taken. "The feels-like temperature is very hot and very uncomfortable in Assam, though actual maximum temperature is not that high. High humidity is the reason behind such uncomfortably high feels-like temperature. Heat stroke may happen for people who are not healthy if we go by the heat index warning chart endorsed by WMO," said Mohan.
Met officials stated that the departure in maximum temperature from normal levels had been significant in the state due to a lack of cloud cover over the past few days. On Tuesday, according to the IMD's weather bulletin, the increase above normal maximum temperature was as high as 6.2 degrees Celsius in Dibrugarh and North Lakhimpur, 5.9 degrees Celsius in Tezpur, and 5 degrees Celsius each in Silchar and Jorhat.
The Regional Meteorological Centre of the IMD issued a bulletin stating that light to moderate rain is very likely to occur in several areas of Assam on Wednesday, but no significant change in maximum temperature is expected.
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