Ahmedabad: The city is currently locked in a hot embrace with summer, recording a blistering 41.4°C for the second day straight — a staggering 7.2 degrees above the seasonal normal. While Rajkot claimed the state’s “hot seat” at 42°C, the entire region is feeling the singe. Even night brings little relief as the city recorded a minimum temperature of 23.1°C, five degrees higher than usual.The heatwave, which began right at the summer season’s start, will continue to torment Gujarat on Wednesday. Though temperatures are likely to ease from Thursday.This early-season surge has caught many off guard, as the transition from a mild February to a scorching March happened with brutal speed. In Ahmedabad, the relentless “heat island” effect caused by the concrete corridors has amplified the discomfort, making the 41.4°C peak feel significantly more intense for those commuting. “It is just the beginning of March and the heat is already unbearable. I avoid going out in the afternoon hours. I scheduled all my meetings either early in the morning or late in the evening. I have also advised my employees to use umbrellas and caps when going out,” said Chirag Patel, a businessman from Vastrapur.Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) issued a heat action plan (HAP) on Tuesday, urging citizens to stay hydrated, wear light clothes, use caps and umbrellas when possible, and consume ORS. Phsyicians in the city are also advising a “less is more” approach to diet, swapping spicy meals for lime water and seasonal fruits like watermelon to navigate this early-season torment.The India meteorological department (IMD) issued orange alert issued for 8 districts and yellow alert for 13 others, including Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, on Wednesday. It predicted: “Severe heatwave conditions very likely to prevail at a few pockets in Banaskantha and Patan; at many pockets in Surendranagar, Rajkot Morbi and Kutch.” Meanwhile, the hot and humid conditions also prevailed in the coastal regions of the state. Warm night conditions are likely to prevail in parts of north and Central Gujarat districts on Wednesday.
