Perception bias is a common trait for most of us. Perception bias plays a key role in our decision making many a times. Weather is no different. One of the most common bias that influences our perception to weather is “Recency Bias”. Recent events tend to cloud our thinking in terms of extreme weather events / climate change etc. Pretty much every year we hear how summer conditions this year has been worse than ever before. When we often hear about record breaking weather events we build a sub-conscious perception along the way.
Many may not agree if we say summer conditions this year for Peninsular India has not been bad so far. Going by IMD’s seasonal Max temperature anomaly since 1st March large parts of Peninsular India has seen below average day time temperatures. Pockets of South TN though is an exception which has seen marginally hotter than normal conditions. An active period of thunderstorms last week meant heat took a back seat over interior Peninsular India.
A couple of weeks back interior areas of Peninsular India saw a brief window of summer and heat. This was the period when places like Vellore recorded the first 40°C of the season. Subsequently the arrival of thunderstorms aided by dipping westerly trough meant heat took a back seat. With slightly drier than normal weather expected over the next few days we may once again start seeing afternoon temperatures climb up.
Temperature trends indicate large swathes of Rayalaseema and adjoining Coastal Andhra Pradesh may see an average maximum temperature of 40°C for the next couple of days. While West and South TN continue to remain the hottest part of the state North TN is also expected to see increase in temperatures. Karur Paramathi recorded 39°C yesterday while neighbouring Erode recorded 38°C. Gradually we may see more places in West TN record similar numbers. Places in Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupathur districts is also likely to see 37 / 38°C from now on. Coastal places like Chennai may also see some increase in the up coming days. It is essential to point out real summer for Chennai starts only from late April.