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After a long and intense summer, the weather patterns have started changing rapidly across the country. The speed of coolers and air conditioners (ACs) that run day and night in homes has started slowing down and in a few days the time has come to pack them completely. In the plains of North India, a slight pink coolness has started being felt late at night and early in the morning, which is clearly indicating that the days of removing light sweaters, shawls and jackets from the wardrobe are very close. However, amid the transition period of this changing season, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned to be alert by issuing a major alert of heavy rain, strong thunderstorm and lightning in 23 states of the country.
As soon as we enter the second fortnight of September, a change in the atmospheric direction is clearly visible. Due to the effect of north-western dry winds, the night minimum temperature is falling by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius. In rural and open areas of Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, people have reduced the speed of fans at night and have started resorting to thin sheets. According to meteorologists, this change is a natural symptom of the withdrawal phase of monsoon, which will gradually turn into a steady cold in the coming weeks.
According to the forecast of the Meteorological Department, while on one hand the monsoon is preparing to depart from North-West India, on the other hand many weather systems have become active simultaneously in Central, East and South India. Due to the low pressure area formed in the Bay of Bengal and active cyclonic circulation, moist winds are rapidly hitting the plains and coastal areas. Due to this conflict, yellow and orange alerts have been issued in 23 states of the country for moderate to heavy rain, strong gusty winds blowing at a speed of 40 to 50 kilometers per hour and lightning.
The scope of the warning issued by the Meteorological Department includes states from North to South and North-East. Major states to be affected:
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North and Central India: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
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Eastern and North-Eastern India: Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
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West and South India: Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Light snowfall in the higher reaches of the hilly states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and the beginning of rain in the lower areas will increase the cold winds coming towards the plains, due to which the temperature will fall rapidly.
This season changing from summer to winter is considered to be the most sensitive from health point of view. Fluctuations in temperature due to strong sunlight during the day and mild cold at night provide an opportunity for viral fever, cold-cough, sore throat and flu viruses to flourish. Doctors say that:
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Avoid keeping the AC temperature extremely low (like 18-20 degrees) while sleeping at night; Run the fan on low speed.
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Avoid drinking extremely cold water from the refrigerator and start drinking lukewarm water.
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Elderly people and respiratory patients going out for a morning walk should cover their chest and neck with a light cloth or stole.
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The risk of dengue and chikungunya increases due to the breeding of mosquitoes in rainy areas, so wear full sleeve clothes and do not allow water to accumulate around the house.
This rain during the departure of monsoon has brought mixed effects for the farmers. Farmers who are preparing to harvest early varieties of paddy or whose harvested crops are in barns have been asked to take special precautions in the 23 states under alert. Agricultural experts have advised farmers to keep the harvested crop at elevated and safe places covered with tarpaulin and not to allow waterlogging in the fields, so that ripe ears can be protected from rotting.
According to experts of the Meteorological Center, by the last week of September, monsoon will completely disappear from most parts of North-West India. After this the sky will be completely clear and the cold winds coming from the north will gain speed. From the first fortnight of October itself, the night temperature will drop below 20 degrees Celsius, with which the cold season will officially start appearing in its full colours.