Rain, hailstorms aren’t unique to Gujarat summers

Sweltering heat in Ahmedabad, rain in parts of Saurashtra and hailstorm in Junagadh. Even as you worry about the vagaries of the weather reaching new extremes, the Met department says there is nothing unique about the trend.

According to the weather department, rain and hailstorms are nothing but induced effects of western disturbances. “Although these effects are not as pronounced in summer, they cannot be ruled out either,” said Kamaljit Ray, director - Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Gujarat.  

Ray, in fact, said that average frequency of such weather with thunderstorms in the month of April is 0.5 days. “It is one to two days during May and goes up to four or five days in June,” she said.

As for Ahmedabad, Ray said that temperatures are likely to rise further in the next 2-3 days. “It will be around 40 or 41 degree Celsius in Ahmedabad,” she said.

Met department also spelt out relief from blistering temperature on April 20, predicting weather to get cloudy on that day. Though possibility of rainfall is ruled out, Gujarat may experience thunderstorms if western trough gets deep enough to affect the state.

Ahmedabad on Monday recorded maximum temperature of 39 degree Celsius, which is a degree below normal. However, those out on the streets haven't felt any difference in the heat. “I wish it would rain here. That way, we won't have to put up with this heat,” said Dhara Rathod of Sardarnagar area in the city.