Humidity makes Hyderabad feel hotter

Hyderabad: It always feels hotter after a rainy day due to the increase in relative humidity. If the recorded maximum temperature is 40ºC, it will feel like 48ºC if the humidity is 60-70 per cent. Experts claim that humidity will be extremely high just a day after a thundershower (citing the example of April 18). Humidity, can lead to heat cramps and even strokesy.

Former director of the Indian Metrological department, Mr J.V.N. Naidu explains, “Humidity is a measure of the amount of water the air can hold. The higher the temperature, the more the water. Humidity can also change a lot during the day. A change in temperature causes a change in pressure. If the humidity is 100 per cent and the temperature goes down, the air pushes together and squeezes out water in form of rain. Over the past few days Telangana has had high relative humidity. Humidity has also increased all over South India. Due to the excessive heat, a low pressure trough has formed over the region and the humidity has gone up to 60-70 per cent.”

General physician Dr Hari Kishen said, “When one sweats, the water evaporates from the body and it cools down. But when it is humid the sweat does not evaporate and the body does not cool down, this leads to heat cramps and strokes.”