Nagpur at 44.7C, clocks highest temp in India

Nagpur: Nagpur clocked the highest maximum temperature of 44.7 degrees Celsius in India on Saturday. This was also the hottest day of the season in Nagpur, surpassing its previous highest of 43 degrees in just 24 hours this summer. The maximum temperature was 4.1 degrees above normal and did not qualify for a heatwave, but the city earned a rare dubious distinction of topping the country's heat graph.

Four other Vidarbha districts — Akola, Wardha, Chandrapur, and Amravati — were the other hottest places in India on Saturday. Streets wore a deserted look under the blazing summer sun as the temperature began rising early in the day. Afternoon hours saw fewer footfalls on roads as citizens preferred to remain indoors to escape the scorcher. Anticipating a rise in temperature, civic authorities have already installed green nets at busy junctions. These came in handy as many were seen taking refuge. Also, citizens, especially delivery boys, were seen taking shelter under sheds or tree canopies. Cooling appliances were working at full steam to provide much-needed respite.

The traffic department switched 33 signals to blinking mode from 1pm to 4pm to ensure motorists did not have to wait under the sun. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) of India Meteorological Department (IMD) said this could probably be a rare occurrence when five Vidarbha districts reported the hottest day in the country at the same time. Data on any previous occasion when Nagpur topped India's heat chart was not available with the RMC.

Nagpur's all-time highest maximum temperature of 47.1 degrees Celsius for April was recorded on April 30, 2009. In the last 10 years, the highest maximum temperature of 45.5 degrees in this month was recorded on April 19, 2017. Since 2015, the mercury has fluctuated between 41 degrees Celsius and 45.5 degrees Celsius. However, a US-based private weather forecaster put Churu in Rajasthan as the hottest place in India at 45 degrees Celsius.

RMC officials said the manual method using a Stevenson's Screen thermometer at their surface observatory at Sonegaon is the most authentic method used in recording air temperature. "Warm air advection (movement) from the plains of Rajasthan, a cloudless sky, lack of active weather system, in-situ warming in upper air, and anti-cyclonic circulation above Vidarbha directly contributed to back-to-back hot days in the region. These factors do not allow hot air to escape," RMC officials said. However, they said there's nothing unusual for Nagpur as maximum temperatures are normally in this range. They added that a heatwave warning has been issued for Akola and Amravati, but the advisory will be reviewed for Nagpur if the heat persists.

TOP 10 HOTTEST CITIES IN INDIA ON SATURDAY**

Nagpur 44.7

Akola 44.3

Kota (Raj) 44.3

Wardha 44.0

Chandrapur 44.0

Shivpuri (MP) 44.0

Amravati 43.8

Sagar 42.8

Mandla 42.6

Phalodi (Raj) 42.4

Nagpur: Nagpur clocked the highest maximum temperature of 44.7 degrees Celsius in India on Saturday. This was also the hottest day of the season in Nagpur, surpassing its previous highest of 43 degrees in just 24 hours this summer. The maximum temperature was 4.1 degrees above normal and did not qualify for a heatwave, but the city earned a rare dubious distinction of topping the country's heat graph.

Four other Vidarbha districts — Akola, Wardha, Chandrapur, and Amravati — were the other hottest places in India on Saturday. Streets wore a deserted look under the blazing summer sun as the temperature began rising early in the day. Afternoon hours saw fewer footfalls on roads as citizens preferred to remain indoors to escape the scorcher. Anticipating a rise in temperature, civic authorities have already installed green nets at busy junctions. These came in handy as many were seen taking refuge. Also, citizens, especially delivery boys, were seen taking shelter under sheds or tree canopies. Cooling appliances were working at full steam to provide much-needed respite.

The traffic department switched 33 signals to blinking mode from 1pm to 4pm to ensure motorists did not have to wait under the sun. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) of India Meteorological Department (IMD) said this could probably be a rare occurrence when five Vidarbha districts reported the hottest day in the country at the same time. Data on any previous occasion when Nagpur topped India's heat chart was not available with the RMC.

Nagpur's all-time highest maximum temperature of 47.1 degrees Celsius for April was recorded on April 30, 2009. In the last 10 years, the highest maximum temperature of 45.5 degrees in this month was recorded on April 19, 2017. Since 2015, the mercury has fluctuated between 41 degrees Celsius and 45.5 degrees Celsius. However, a US-based private weather forecaster put Churu in Rajasthan as the hottest place in India at 45 degrees Celsius.

RMC officials said the manual method using a Stevenson's Screen thermometer at their surface observatory at Sonegaon is the most authentic method used in recording air temperature. "Warm air advection (movement) from the plains of Rajasthan, a cloudless sky, lack of active weather system, in-situ warming in upper air, and anti-cyclonic circulation above Vidarbha directly contributed to back-to-back hot days in the region. These factors do not allow hot air to escape," RMC officials said. However, they said there's nothing unusual for Nagpur as maximum temperatures are normally in this range. They added that a heatwave warning has been issued for Akola and Amravati, but the advisory will be reviewed for Nagpur if the heat persists.

TOP 10 HOTTEST CITIES IN INDIA ON SATURDAY**

Nagpur 44.7

Akola 44.3

Kota (Raj) 44.3

Wardha 44.0

Chandrapur 44.0

Shivpuri (MP) 44.0

Amravati 43.8

Sagar 42.8

Mandla 42.6

Phalodi (Raj) 42.4