HYDERABAD: Telangana witnessed its first official heatwave of the season on Tuesday, with temperatures exceeding 45°C for two consecutive days. Dasturabad in Nirmal district recorded the highest temperature at 46°C.
According to official criteria, a heatwave is declared when temperatures exceed 40°C and are at least 4.5°C above normal, or when they cross 45°C regardless of normal levels. Based on these parameters, the current conditions qualify as the first heatwave of the summer.
Officials said May is likely to be particularly intense, with Telangana expected to witness at least five to six heatwaves during the month.
IMD official GNRS Srinivas Rao said that although temperatures were above normal earlier this season, they had not met heatwave criteria. “Temperatures rose by about 2–3°C above normal on some days, which is typical for summer. In early March, a few places crossed 40°C before mid-month, which was unusual, but the heat subsided quickly,” he said.
Between mid-March and early April, frequent thunderstorms and shifting wind patterns reduced temperatures by 3–5°C below normal, preventing prolonged heatwave conditions. This week’s spell marks the first sustained heatwave of the season. Last year, Telangana experienced around three heatwave events between March and April, each lasting only a few days. Typically, the state records 11 to 15 heatwave days between March and May.
Apart from Dasturabad (46°C), eight districts recorded temperatures above 45°C, including Koratpally and Dichpally (45.9°C), Sathnala (45.6°C), Kollur (45.5°C), Pothareddipet (45.2°C), and Kerameri, Mulkachearla and Mallapur (45.1°C).
Meteorologists have identified a surface cyclonic circulation over north Telangana at about 0.9 km above mean sea level, along with a trough extending from central Madhya Pradesh to the Comorin region through Telangana, interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu.
Light to moderate rainfall is likely at isolated places over the next three days, which may offer some relief. Hot winds are expected in parts of north Telangana, while thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 30–40 kmph are also forecast.
This article is written by Khyati Shah
