PATNA: Prevailing sultry weather condition notwithstanding, the summer this year has spared the state the trauma it is used to experience between April and May.With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) so far not declaring heatwave – a term used when the maximum temperature stays five degrees above normal for two consecutive days – in the state, the summer is turning out to be the most pleasant one in recent memory.Experts have attributed the unusually “cool” summer to global phenomena such as La Nina and local phenomena like frequent thunderstorms and a predominantly north-westerly wind along with moisture-laden easterly winds.The infamous westerly winds, called ‘loo’ in common parlance, blew in the state only for a few days this summer. The temperatures in Patna and other places in the state have crossed 40 degrees mark for less than 10 days this season.“There are no chances of state witnessing heatwave till May 28. Frequent thunderstorm activities and showers have prevented the temperature from going above normal,” said a senior official at Patna Meteorological Centre.At least three spells of thunderstorms had been witnessed in different parts of the state in May alone with the latest one hitting several north-eastern districts, including Araria, Purnia and Forbesganj, on Thursday morning.Experts have termed the frequent thunderstorms as Nor’wester activities and cited the north-westerly winds as the underlying factor for them. As per meteorology, excess heating of the land during summer season results in convective currents that, in turn, help in formation of low cumulonimbus clouds, bringing rain accompanied by gusty winds.“This summer was abnormal along with many changes in the usual weather trend. There has been a change in the wind pattern. Earlier, the wind during summer would be dry. This year, it was mostly north-westerly, causing rain and thunderstorms. There will be no heatwave this summer and conditions are favourable for early onset of monsoon,” said Pradhan Parthasarathy, a scientist at Central University of Bihar and secretary at Indian Meteorological Society . He, however, added easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal have led to the sultry weather conditions in the state.“I am happy that westerlies are not blowing this time and temperature is not abnormally high unlike in the past. However, sultry weather makes you sweaty all the time, which is quite irritating,” said Jai Pandey, a private school teacher at Patna.

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