Ahmedabad: Roar of wind, swaying trees and huge billboards fluttering like kites caught in strong breeze brought last weekend to a close. If Friday night was cool with gusts of wind, Saturday night was a stormy affair with light drizzle in many parts of the city.

For Amdavadis, Sunday morning was all about washing their porches, sweeping their verandahs and cleaning their dust covered vehicles. The sudden, menacing dust storm late on Saturday night brought a brief respite from warm nights but left people more high and dry amid the spanning cyclonic circulations.

The entire phenomenon of dust particles engulfing the city took place during the night when northerly and north-westerly winds started blowing in northern parts of Gujarat at a speed of more than 45 km per hour.

In Ahmedabad alone, more than 52 large and small trees got uprooted. Also losing their moorings were giant hoardings on SG Highway, IIM Road and Ashram Road. The hoardings came crashing down before the might of the wind velocity leading to traffic obstructions in morning hours.

Explaining the sudden dust and thunderstorm, director, forecasting, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Ahmedabad, Kamaljit Ray said, “It was mainly due to a western disturbance induced circulation over Rajasthan. Temperature in western part of India has gone up considerably. We were expecting storms to be centred in Rajasthan only, but later in the night it engulfed northern parts of Gujarat, including Ahmedabad.”

According to Ray, the cyclonic condition happened due to excessive heat in dusty regions of Rajasthan and winds blowing from north direction carried the dust clouds to Ahmedabad and other parts.

She added that due to high temperature in summer, mercury rises during day and then drops suddenly in the night. This fluctuation results in severe cyclonic dust and thunderstorms with some traces of rain.

If denizens cleaned up their homes, AMC spent the Sunday tending to one fallen tree after another. Ketan Patel, a resident of Satellite, said, “My Sunday got ruined after last night’s sudden thunderstorm. Fury of the wind was such that I saw my flowerpots flying into the air and crashing down on the ground.”

Sunil Suthar, another resident of Satellite, said, “My solar water heater on the terrace crashed into adjacent society around 2.30 am. The pipeline carrying hot water also got damaged.”

Trees became the major victims of this unexpected whirlwind. Director of parks & gardens, Jignesh Patel said, “Over 52 trees got uprooted across city, including an 80-year-old neem tree near CEPT campus. All of them were cleared from roads with support from fire department officials of AMC,” he added.

According to MET department, western disturbances passing through lower latitudes coupled with summer heating caused instability in atmospheric conditions leading to formation of strong clouds formation during night.

Nayna Shastri, a homemaker from Vasna, said, “Instead of relaxing, I had to clean up my entire home, including balcony on Sunday. It took me over an hour and a half to finish cleaning. Winds were so strong that windows kept rattling and we also lost some clothes which were hung outside for drying.”

February is the last month of winter in India. The weather over most parts of the country is normally comfortable. However, according to IMD report, this year the temperatures during February 2009 were exceptionally high across the country.

Average monthly temperature were also above normal during that period in the city. Normally it is around 31 degree celsius but it touched 32.4 degree celsius, an increase of more than one degree celsius. Minimum temperature rose to 16.2 degree celsius from normal 14.5 degree celsius, a jump of more than one degree celsius.

World Meteorological Day to be celebrated today: India Meteorological Department (IMD) will keep the meteorological observatory located near Airport colony, Ahmedabad open for students and public from 11 am to 4 pm on Monday evening to celebrate World Meteorological Day’. Theme of the day this year is Weather climate and the air we breathe’.

Source: timesofindia