Northern districts wilt under record heat; all-time high in Kannur

Large parts of the State continue to swelter in the scorching summer heat, with the northern districts registering record maximum temperatures.

Kannur and Kozhikode have seen an all-time record in the maximum temperature for the districts over the past few days.

Kannur breaks record

Kannur registered 39.1 degrees Celsius on Friday, breaking the all-time record of 39 degrees C registered on March 9.

The maximum temperature in Kannur was 38.8 degrees C on February 28, the highest since 2011 when the district experienced a high of 38.5 degrees C.

The maximum temperature in Kozhikode touched a record of 38.1 degrees C on Friday, breaking the 37.6 degrees C mark on February 20. The previous record of 37.2 was registered in 1920 and 1967.

Maximum in Palakkad

However, the highest maximum temperature in Kerala (40 degrees C) registered in Palakkad on Thursday is not a record for the district which has seen a high of 41.8 degree Celsius in 1987.

Showers forecast

Meanwhile, the first summer showers of the season brought some relief in scattered locations.

The Met Department has forecast isolated rain in the southern districts over the next few days under the influence of an upper air cyclonic circulation over Kanyakumari.

Director, Met Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, K. Santhosh said the northern districts were also likely to receive showers by Tuesday or Wednesday.

“The formation of a trough of low pressure over the Comerin area or Lakshadweep is common in March. This brings moisture incursion in the southern parts of Kerala.”

Palakkad recorded 40 degrees Celsius and Punalur registered the lowest minimum temperature of 24 degrees C during the 24 hours ending Friday morning.

The maximum temperature was markedly above normal in Kannur (38) and Kozhikode (37) districts, appreciably above normal in Ernakulam (35) and Palakkad (40) districts and above normal in Kottayam (36).

Alappuzha recorded 1.2 mm of rainfall while other districts remained dry.