Kerala on the brink of heatwave, Chief Minister calls for ‘self-lockdown’

The State is on the verge of declaring a heatwave, as key weather parameters have come close to breaching the prescribed thresholds in Kerala. However, the meteorological agency has held back from officially declaring the heatwave, as the temperature, after exceeding normal values on Wednesday, remained just below the required threshold on Thursday.

For a heatwave to be formally declared, both the absolute temperature and its departure from normal must exceed specified limits for two consecutive days. For instance, in plains, the maximum temperature should be 40°C or more, with a departure from normal of at least 4.5°C. In coastal regions, the maximum temperature should be 37°C or more, with a departure of 4.5°C above normal. Additionally, such conditions must be recorded at a minimum of two stations for two consecutive days, as stipulated by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).