Hyderabad: Clouds play the perfect role in absorbing the Sun’s radiation and help protect the ground from day-long heat, but they do the opposite at night.
The more clouds during the day or in the evening, the warmer the nights. Clouds are then the reason for an increase in minimum temperatures, said experts.
The night temperature these days are crossing 26ºC, which is above normal. It is thus better to have clear skies throughout the day for the ground to absorb more heat so that the night temperatures fall. This year the month of April has seen an increase in minimum temperatures too. The forecast for the coming days does not indicate a dip in maximum temperature, but of thundercloud formations towards the evenings.
Explaining cloud formations, assistant meteorologist (IMD) M. Narsimha Rao said, “Presence of moisture and instability in the air lead to cloud formation and this reduces the ground cooling time. During summers, the ground tends to receive increased energy until the onset of monsoons. The highest is recorded on May end or June.
“Cumulonimbus clouds are responsible for scattered energy and are an obstruction. Instability in the air, i.e. if at any given area the air moves upwards, it cools down and condenses into droplets, which form clouds. Usually they form during afternoons and evenings.” The normal night temperature during summer should be 24ºC but it is crossing 26ºC.
The city on Wednesday recorded 41.2ºC, however it did not feel so hot due to Cumulonimbus cloud formations towards the afternoon. The forecast for Thursday is partly cloudy sky with maximum and minimum temperatures around 42ºC and 27ºC.
