Context

With the State stepping into peak summer season, Kerala is staring at heat wave-like conditions at many places.

What is a heat wave?

• Heat wave is a condition of air temperature which becomes fatal to human body when exposed. 
• Quantitatively, it is defined based on the temperature thresholds over a region in terms of actual temperature or its departure from normal. 
• For declaring a heat wave, the temperature should be 4.5 °C above normal for that time in a region. 
• The criteria for the coastal station maximum temperature should be greater than or equal to 37 °C.