Thiruvananthapuram: Punalur in Kollam is the hottest place in Kerala this summer. The mercury levels in Punalur is always higher than the nearby areas. At times it is at par with or even higher than Palakkad.
Punalur's claim to this 'sizzling' fame is due to the wind that flows into the area.
In March, the highest temperature recoded in Punalur was 40.6 degrees Celsius on March 31, 1983, and March 30, 1992. The lowest mercury levels seen in March was on March 21, 1970 - 17.4 degrees Celsius.
In April, the highest temperature recorded was 40.6 degrees Celsius on April 5, 1983, and the lowest on April 2 and 3, 1976 - 18.1 degrees Celsius.
In May, the highest temperature was 39.2 degrees Celsius recorded on May 6, 1982 and the lowest, 17.4 degrees Celsius, was registered on May 12, 2003.
The reason for the searing heat in Punalur and Palakkad is due to hot winds flowing in from Tamil Nadu, officials at the India Meteorological Department told OnManorama.
It is the wind that finds its way through Aryankavu that sends the mercury levels soaring in Punalur. Since the hills in the Western Ghats that acts as a shield are at a lower height, the wind picks up velocity when it enters Punalur and it is sometimes called the eastern wind.
In other places, the intensity of the heat is masked by the presence of sea breeze. When land in coastal areas get hot, it generates sea breeze. Sea breeze draws in the cooler air off the sea and cools down inland areas as it pushes ahead. The fact that this sea breeze doesn't reach Punalur is another reason why it remains hot.
