Winter to be delayed by another 10 days

 Hyderabad: Hyderabad is seeing an unusual weather pattern this year because of delayed winter. The latest is that this trend is likely to remain for another week or two with weather experts pointing to a specific set of conditions for this delay.

K. Nagaratna, head scientist at IMD Hyderabad, said that in the current year, compared to the last five years, the state has seen about 1-2°C higher temperatures in winter months. It was 2-3°C warmer in Hyderabad.

She said that winter could be delayed because of the El Nino effect, which can possibly continue until March.

T. Balaji, an independent weather expert, explained, "Cyclone Michuang is influencing the weather dynamics over Hyderabad. Instead of the typical cold and dry northerly winds, the city is experiencing moist north-east monsoon winds. This moisture-laden air is keeping the temperatures relatively warm. The influence of the cyclone and the ongoing rains in Tamil Nadu and the south coast regions are delaying the arrival of dry northern winds, further postponing the onset of winter by at least another 10 days."

While the cyclone is expected to cause a minor drop in temperatures, particularly during the morning hours from December 4-5, night temperatures could remain well above the seasonal norm.

Balaji added, "The farthest the northerly winds have reached are up to Vidarbha and Nagpur. It will take another week or two for the current moist winds to retreat, allowing dry and colder winds to make their way to Hyderabad."

Interestingly, the northern districts of Telangana usually experience colder temperatures during winters compared to the central and southern regions.

According to Balaji, "Even with the cyclone's impact, temperatures in these areas could hover around 17 to 18°C. The last time we witnessed such mild winter temperatures was between November 2019 and January 2020 when mercury levels did not plunge below 15°C throughout the season."

Experts indicate that a robust winter can only be expected towards the end of December. Traditionally, winters in Hyderabad commence around the start of November, reaching their peak by the end of the month-end. However, this year, this has been set for January.