India’s Heat Wave May Abate in Two Days, Weather Bureau Says

original from http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=az9hF1q4RQtA&refer=india

April 30 (Bloomberg) -- A heat wave in northern and western India may spread to more regions before abating by the weekend, the country's weather office said.

Temperatures in New Delhi climbed to 43.5 degrees Celsius (110.3 Fahrenheit) yesterday, the highest in 50 years and five degrees Celsius more than normal, the India Meteorological Department said on its Web site.

The heat wave has killed at least 67 people, with 9 deaths being reported in the eastern Orissa state, the Press Trust of India said. Temperatures reached 47.1 degrees Celsius in Nagpur in the western state of Maharashtra yesterday, the agency said.

The hot weather conditions may spread to parts of Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in two days, the weather bureau said.

India's monsoon rains, forecast to be near normal this year, may arrive a week earlier than the normal June 1 date, the bureau said earlier this week. The nation's central region may receive more rainfall than last year, while showers in the southern parts of the country will be same as last year, it said.

Kanpur -- Hottest day in the last 8 years

Original from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kanpur/Hottest-day-in-the-last-8-years/articleshow/4464809.cms

KANPUR: Breaking the record of the last eight years, Wednesday proved to be the hottest day in the month of April. With the maximum temperature of the day climbing to 43.8 degrees

celsius, April 29 also was recorded as the hottest day of the season so far. It seems Kanpurites are in for some terribly hot weather in coming days.

The mercury and election fever were both at their peak on Wednesday. The Met officials have predicted that the temperature is likely to stay at the same mark for the next couple of days.

On Wednesday, the maximum temperature was at an all time high of 43.8 degrees celsius, four degrees above normal. The minimum was recorded at 23 degrees celsius. According to the meteorological department, warm and dry westerly winds have caused the temperature to rise. The winds are essentially dry. Humidity on Wednesday ranged between 45 per cent and 19 per cent. The coming few days will be hot and dry," said weather scientist, Dr Anirudh Dubey.

Notably, the maximum temperature last year in April had gone up to 42.2 degrees celsius on the same day. This year, the mark has been reached several times already, the highest being 43.8 degrees celsius on April 29. According to data available with the Met department, the average maximum temperature in April is 39.9 degrees celsius. The maximum for the month of April was 44.1 degrees celsius in 2001.

Owing to the blazing sun, the streets remained deserted all through the day, despite Wednesday being the eve of the biggest democratic event. The candidates and their supporters were seen braving the scorching heat to give final touches to their preparations for the D-Day.

However, apprehensive about the heat likely to turn a spoilsport on the polling day, Dr Anirudh appealed to the denizens to not make the hot weather an excuse for abstaining from voting. "One must take preventive measures before stepping out in the sun, but must definitely go to polling booths to exercise their right. After all, we are empowered to speak our mind through vote and thus shouldn't let the chance to prove ourselves as responsible citizens of the country go waste," added Dr Anirudh

Hot Core Shifts to India

Original from Jim's blog, www.accuweather.com

Thanks to high pressure set right over the middle of India, the nation was the site of earth's hottest weather of the day. Of the sites for which I have data, I have the two Maharashtra cities, Nagpur (47.1 degrees C) and Akola (47.0), `neck and neck` as the top two hot spots (near 117 degrees F, by the way).

Elsewhere, highs above 45 degrees C/113 degrees F were set from Rajasthan and Haryana east to Jharkhand and Orissa. If our data are right, the high of 43.5 degrees C at Delhi was higher than the hottest of 2008 (43.0).

In Pakistan, meanwhile, it cooled--if the 46 degrees at Nawabshah can be said to be `cooler`. Cooling was substantial, though, at Karachi, as if to say that the building of the strong ridge aloft had ended. The high was a relatively normal 34.5 degrees, down much from the abnormal 42.2 degrees of Wednesday. As I had said earlier in the week, I believe that Karachi gets its hottest weather when upper ridges build, but when the building ends, cooling off the sea increases.

--Looking forward, the heat will be severe over the Subcontinent as a whole through the day on Sunday. Thereafter, weakening of the high aloft will coincide with weak cooling. So, from Sindh and southern Punjab east as far as western West Bengal, India, I look for widespread 42-46 degree heat inland. Sea breezes, I believe, will keep Mumbai and Karachi moderate.

"Swine Influenza" or "Swine flu" or "swine fever" - facts

Original from www.cdc.gov

Please download this FULL "Swine Flu" Guide

Antiviral Drugs

Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) with activity against influenza viruses, including swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs can be used to treat swine flu or to prevent infection with swine flu viruses. These medications must be prescribed by a health care professional. Influenza antiviral drugs only work against influenza viruses -- they will not help treat or prevent symptoms caused by infection from other viruses that can cause symptoms similar to the flu.

There are four influenza antiviral drugs approved for use in the United States (oseltamivir, zanamivir, amantadine and rimantadine). The swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses that have been detected in humans in the United States and Mexico are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine so these drugs will not work against these swine influenza viruses. Laboratory testing on these swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses so far indicate that they are susceptible (sensitive) to oseltamivir and zanamivir.

Benefits of Antiviral Drugs

Treatment: If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious influenza complications. Influenza antiviral drugs work best when started soon after illness onset (within two 2 days), but treatment with antiviral drugs should still be considered after 48 hours of symptom onset, particularly for hospitalized patients or people at high risk for influenza-related complications.

Prevention: Influenza antiviral drugs also can be used to prevent influenza when they are given to a person who is not ill, but who has been or may be near a person with swine influenza. When used to prevent the flu, antiviral drugs are about 70% to 90% effective. When used for prevention, the number of days that they should be used will vary depending on a person's particular situation.

CDC Recommendation

CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses.

• Oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu ®) is approved to both treat and prevent influenza A and B virus infection in people one year of age and older.
• Zanamivir (brand name Relenza ®) is approved to treat influenza A and B virus infection in people 7 years and older and to prevent influenza A and B virus infection in people 5 years and older.

Recommendations for using antiviral drugs for treatment or prevention of swine influenza will change as we learn more about this new virus.

Clinicians should consider treating any person with confirmed or suspected swine influenza with an antiviral drug. Visit: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/recommendations.htm for specific recommendations.

30-Apr-09, Thunder storms

All of today's thunderstorms were peppered around central and southern western ghats... all are Pre-monsoon showers.

Some weak South-west air current is already over south-western parts of Indian Peninsula.. this is creating thunder showers in late afternoon over western Ghats.

31-Mar-09 --- Orissa Tornado

Tornadoes in India is uncommon. And only area previously hit was around northern Orissa and along with west-bengal border.

Here's the FULL news report, images and a FULL report from IMD

.

20 feared killed in Orissa tornado (original from http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/01/stories/2009040159730900.htm)

Special Correspondent

BHUBANESWAR: At least 20 people were feared killed when a tornado hit about 11 villages under Rajkanika Block of Kendrapara district of Orissa on Tuesday.

Official sources, however, confirmed eight deaths and said the toll was likely to increase when rescue teams entered the affected villages.

According to initial reports, the tragedy took place around 4.40 p.m. when the tornado caught the villagers unawares. Hundreds of houses were damaged in the villages that were spread over a five kilometre radius. Such was the intensity of the tornado that people were lifted to a height of 25 to 30 ft.

According to Kendrapara District Sub-Collector Ranjan Kumar Das, personnel of Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force were on their way to the affected villages for rescue and relief operation.

Rescue work was hampered because of darkness and roadblocks caused by hundreds of uprooted trees.

Download FULL report published by www.imd.gov.in

Mercury touches 42.2 deg C; hotter days ahead

Original from: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Mercury-touches-422-deg-C-in-Delhi/articleshow/4461600.cms

NEW DELHI: Much before schools break for summer holidays

and families plan vacations to cooler climes, the capital is already scorching under extreme heat. The maximum temperature on Tuesday climbed to the season's highest of 42.2 degrees celsius, four degrees above normal, with hot winds sweeping through the city keeping most people indoors.

There seems to be no respite in sight. The weatherman predicts even hotter days ahead, with the mercury expected to touch 43 degrees in the next two days, thanks to dry westerly winds coming in from Rajasthan. And this is just the beginning of what threatens to be a long hot summer.

Tuesday was the warmest April 28 in the past five years, both in terms of the maximum and minimum temperatures. The minimum temperature was 26.6 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal. ``A western disturbance is passing over Jammu and Kashmir and its warm front is leading to warming in this area. Westerlies blowing from Rajasthan are also causing the temperature to rise. Within a day or so, Delhi can also expect the hot loo,'' said a Met department official.

Normally crowded places like India Gate and Central Park were deserted for most part of the day as people preferred to remain indoors. ``I knew this could be the hottest day of the season the minute I stepped out. I felt totally parched and dehydrated. The sun was relentless and a hot dusty wind blowing in the afternoon just made the situation worse,'' said Anita Vohra, an architect.

Said Vinod Datta, a professional working in CP: ``I had to meet a client in Gurgaon but the heat was so terrible that I called in sick. There was no way I was going to drive all the way in this weather.''

Year...............Maximum........Minimum
2004:...............37..................26
2005:...............37..................21
2006:...............42..................25
2007:...............41..................23
2008:...............40..................22
2009................42.2................26.6

Temperature forecast for INDIA till 15-May-09

The temperature forecast predicts that the next 10 days we'll feel some abnormal temperatures and gradually it'll go down due to a possibility of early set in of SOuth-west air current... not the SOuth-west monsoon itself.

India’s Monsoon May Make Early Onset, Aiding Planting Prospects

Original from http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=awmgXqMEF_qQ&refer=india

By Pratik Parija and Vipin Nair

April 28 (Bloomberg) -- India's monsoon, forecast to be near normal this year, may arrive a week earlier than the normal June 1 date, boosting prospects for an early planting of crops such as rice, oilseeds and cotton.

The weather office doesn't foresee a delay in the onset of the June-to-September rainy season, D. Sivananda Pai, a director at India Meteorological Department, said today on a conference call organized by brokerage Edelweiss Securities Ltd.

India's 235 million farmers rely on the timing of the four- month season to decide which crops to grow. Their incomes are watched by makers of consumer goods and appliances. Companies such as ITC Ltd., India's biggest cigarette maker, and textile company DCM Ltd. are selling more in the villages than in urban areas, the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said.

"A proper monsoon does improve market sentiment and help rural demand," said H.S. Goindi, head of marketing at TVS Motor Co., India's third-biggest motorcycle maker. "It is extremely important." Small towns and rural areas account for as much as 55 percent of the company's sales, he said.

Rains this season may be 96 percent of the 50-year average, the weather office said April 17. The central region may receive more showers than last year, while falls in the southern parts of the country may be the same as last year, Pai said. Areas in the north east and north west may get less rain than last year.

Adequate rainfall will help sustain the record 4.3 percent average growth in farm output Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has presided over since 2005, raising incomes among the 742 million Indians who live in the countryside. That may help the Congress party-led government, seeking re-election in polls that started on April 16, to counter the slowest growth since March 2003.

India, the world's second-biggest grower of rice and wheat, depends on the monsoon to water its farms as about 60 percent of the arable land isn't irrigated. Planting of most early winter- harvested crops, including rice, corn, lentils, soybeans, peanut and sugar cane, begins with the onset of the monsoon.

To contact the reporter on this story: Pratik Parija in New Delhi at pparija@bloomberg.net; Vipin Nair in Mumbai at vnair12@bloomberg.net

IPL09: 28-Apr-09: Pretoria

Today's match:

vs

At Pretoria (a new venue), 8 PM India time.

Weather: Clear skies and 0% chance of rain.

Other areas in South-Africa is getting heavy rainfall.. take a look

No worries for today's match.... sit back and Enjoy!