Although summer is just around the corner, Goa has already experienced extremely hot and sometimes very humid weather, with the mercury reaching 37.6 degrees Celsius on 16th February. Thereafter, by and large, the maximum temperatures have been around 35 to 36 degrees Celsius, bordering on a heatwave-like condition, causing distress to the people. It is known that on the 3rd of January every year, the Earth is closest to the Sun, and since the orbit of the Earth around the Sun is elliptical, this closeness explains why the temperature is high.
Another significant explanation for the high temperatures is the fact that the emission of greenhouse gases by approximately 15 lakh four-wheelers on the roads is also leading to a rise in temperature. It is known that one litre of petrol emits 2.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide, and at the least, if we consider that only 10 percent of the vehicles are in operation at any given time, then a minimum of 3.45 lakh kilograms of carbon dioxide, which traps the heat of the Sun, is contributing to a great extent to the rise in temperatures.
Additionally, the emissions from at least 14 lakh two-wheelers in Goa are further contributing to the rise in mercury levels. Being a coastal state, Goa experiences excess evaporation due to high temperatures, leading to an increase in humidity.
