Hyderabad: Breaking a four-year trend, Telangana is experiencing an extended winter this season, with temperatures continuing to dip to unusually low levels across several districts. Meteorologists described this as one of the best winter seasons in the past seven years, with temperatures in many locations consistently remaining up to 6 degrees below normal.“Many districts are still witnessing temperatures comparable to those usually recorded in Jan,” Telangana Development Planning Society (TGDPS) senior meteorologist YV Rama Rao said. According to official data, the lowest temperature on Wednesday was recorded at 10.2 degrees Celsius in Kumaram Bheem-Asifabad district, followed by 11.2 degrees Celsius in Sangareddy and 11.8 degrees Celsius in Vikarabad. Seveal areas of Rangareddy district, which borders Hyderabad, recorded a minimum of 12.3 degrees Celsius, indicating that the chill persists even in areas close to the capital.
Weather enthusiast Balaji Tarini, who posts updates on ‘X’ under the handle ‘Telangana Weatherman’, noted that such extended cold conditions in Feb were last observed in 2020 and 2022. “Only a couple more days of winter are left. Thereafter, temperatures will gradually rise to around 33 degrees Celsius during the day, while night temperatures will settle between 16 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius,” he said, adding that the night chill will steadily decrease.Looking ahead, meteorologists warned that El Niño conditions could play a crucial role in shaping the 2026 summer season. Preliminary forecasts suggest a split-season pattern, with a relatively milder early phase followed by spells of intense heat later in the season. Above-normal rainfall is expected during March and April, which could help moderate daytime temperatures in the initial part of summer and offer intermittent relief.However, experts caution that strengthening El Niño conditions might adversely affect the upcoming monsoon. “El Niño appears to be evolving, and if it intensifies, the monsoon is likely to remain below par,” said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather, an independent weather forecasting agency. “A weak monsoon typically leads to higher heatwave intensity. El Niño causes warming of Pacific Ocean temperatures, which has cascading global impacts. With rising global temperatures each year, its effects are becoming more pronounced.”Palawat added that while some states might receive surplus rainfall, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were likely to witness higher-than-normal temperatures during peak summer months.
